Background: Regulatory B cells(Bregs) is an indispensable element in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. As one of the microRNAs(miRNAs), mi R-29a-3p also inhibits translation by degrading the targe...Background: Regulatory B cells(Bregs) is an indispensable element in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. As one of the microRNAs(miRNAs), mi R-29a-3p also inhibits translation by degrading the target mRNA, and yet the relationship between Bregs and mi R-29a-3p has not yet been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of miR-29a-3p on the regulation of differentiation and immunosuppressive functions of memory Bregs(m Bregs) and ultimately provide potentially effective therapies in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. Methods: Flow cytometry was employed to determine the levels of Bregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. TaqMan low-density array miRNA assays were used to identify the expression of different miRNAs, electroporation transfection was used to induce mi R-29a-3p overexpression and knockdown, and dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the target gene of miR-29a-3p. Results: In patients experiencing acute rejection after liver transplantation, the proportions and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs in the circulating blood were significantly impaired. mi R-29a-3p was found to be a regulator of m Bregs differentiation. Inhibition of miR-29a-3p, which targeted nuclear factor of activated T cells 5(NFAT5), resulted in a conspicuous boost in the differentiation and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs. The inhibition of mi R-29a-3p in CD19~+ B cells was capable of raising the expression levels of NFAT5, thereby promoting B cells to differentiate into m Bregs. In addition, the observed enhancement of differentiation and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs upon mi R-29a-3p inhibition was abolished by the knockdown of NFAT5 in B cells. Conclusions: mi R-29a-3p was found to be a crucial regulator for m Bregs differentiation and immunosuppressive function. Silencing mi R-29a-3p could be a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation.展开更多
We present a short and simple proof of the recent result of Yang and Wang [12]. Stimulated by their idea, two geometric parameters Uax（ε） and βx （ε）, both related to Gao＇s modulus of U-convexity of a Banach sp...We present a short and simple proof of the recent result of Yang and Wang [12]. Stimulated by their idea, two geometric parameters Uax（ε） and βx （ε）, both related to Gao＇s modulus of U-convexity of a Banach space X, are introduced. Their properties and the relationships with normal structure are studied. Some existing results involving normal structure and fixed points for non-expansive mappings in Banach spaces are improved.展开更多
Detecting subsurface fault structure is important for evaluating potential earthquake risks associated with active faults.In this study,we propose a new method to detect faults using reflected surface waves observed i...Detecting subsurface fault structure is important for evaluating potential earthquake risks associated with active faults.In this study,we propose a new method to detect faults using reflected surface waves observed in ambient noise cross correlation functions.Ambient noise tomography using direct surface waves obtained from ambient noise interferometry has been widely used to characterize active fault zones.In cases where a strong velocity contrast exists across the fault interface,fault-reflected surface waves are expected.We test this idea using a linear array deployed in the Suqian segment of Tanlu fault zone in Eastern China.The fault-reflected surface waves can be clearly seen in the cross-correlation functions of the ambient noise data,and the spatial position of the fault on the surface is close to the stations where the reflected signals first appear.Potentially reflected surface waves could also be used to infer the dip angle,fault zone thickness and the degree of velocity contrast across the fault by comparing synthetic and observed waveforms.展开更多
Synergetic energy-water-carbon pathways are key issues to be tackled under carbon-neutral target and high-quality development worldwide,especially in ecologically vulnerable regions(EVRs).In this study,to explore the ...Synergetic energy-water-carbon pathways are key issues to be tackled under carbon-neutral target and high-quality development worldwide,especially in ecologically vulnerable regions(EVRs).In this study,to explore the synergistic pathways in an EVR,a water-energy-carbon assessment(WECA)model was built,and the synergistic effects of water-energy-carbon were comprehensively and quantitatively analyzed under various scenarios of regional transition.Shaanxi Province was chosen as the representative EVR,and Lower challenge(LEC)and Greater challenge(GER)scenarios of zerocarbon transition were set considering the technological maturity and regional energy characteristics.The results showed that there were limited effects under the zero-carbon transition of the entire region on reducing water withdrawals and improving the water quality.In the LEC scenario,the energy demand and CO_(2) emissions of Shaanxi in 2060 will decrease by 70.9%and 99.4%,respectively,whereas the water withdrawal and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potential(FAETP)will only decrease by 8.9%and 1.6%,respectively.This could be attributed to the stronger demand for electricity in the energy demand sector caused by industrial transition measures.The GER scenario showed significant growth in water withdrawals(16.0%)and FAETP(36.0%)because of additional biomass demand.To promote the synergetic development of regional transition,EVRs should urgently promote zero-carbon technologies(especially solar and wind power technologies)between 2020 and 2060 and dry cooling technology for power generation before 2030.In particular,a cautious attitude toward the biomass energy with carbon capture and storage technology in EVRs is strongly recommended.展开更多
The critical factor of spatial constraint,provided by the external confinement(e.g.,matrix),is often overlooked during photodynamic inactivation,despite playing a crucial role in determining the molecular photophysica...The critical factor of spatial constraint,provided by the external confinement(e.g.,matrix),is often overlooked during photodynamic inactivation,despite playing a crucial role in determining the molecular photophysical process and subsequent antipathogen performance.Here,as a proof-of-concept model,we employed two types of polymers with varying interaction energies with dopants to investigate the intrinsic relationship between spatial constraint and the essential excited-state behaviors of doped photosensitizer(4-(2-(5-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)ethyl)-1-methylquinolin-1-ium iodine,TPP).Through experimental investigation and theoretical calculations,we found that TPP tends to remain in the excited state for a shorter dwell time under weaker spatial constraints due to less restricted molecular motion in polyurethane(PU) nanofibers.Consequently,the singlet oxygen(^(1)O_(2)) generated from doped-TPP shows a 9.23-fold enhancement in PU than in the polyvinylchloride(PVC) matrix.Under light irradiation,the PU@TPP nanofiber can efficiently eliminate the coronavirus MHV-A59(≥99.9997%) at a 220,000-fold higher concentration than the infected space.Its antibacterial efficacy has also been demonstrated,with a killing rate of ≥99%.展开更多
Fluorophores with controlled on–off switching properties and subcellular targeting abilities are essential for modern super-resolution microscopy techniques.However,the effective design strategies of blinking fluorop...Fluorophores with controlled on–off switching properties and subcellular targeting abilities are essential for modern super-resolution microscopy techniques.However,the effective design strategies of blinking fluorophores are still limited with scarce building blocks(e.g.,rhodamine and cyanine analogues),and sophisticated functionalization is always required for organelle recognition.Therefore,exploring live-cell compatible and organelle-targetable fluorophores with a new blinking mechanism is of broad interest to promote the emerging development of superresolution microscopy.Here,we report a type of live-cell permeable fluorophore with a facile synthesis strategy to facilitate the imaging of lipid droplets and lysosomes using single-molecule localization microscopy.The fluorophores only require a two-step synthetic route.They show signature enol-keto tautomerism by spontaneous proton transfer at the ground state without additional photoactivation,which ensures blinking performance by exciting the minor portion of molecules in keto form.This fluorescence switching mechanism provides a distinct character from that of previously reported live-cell permeable dyes for super-resolution imaging,while the specific organelle binding affinity can be tuned by simply changing the targeting moiety of fluorophores.展开更多
Quantitatively analysing the impacts on regional water sustainability under the energy transition is vital to regional water management and specific technology selection,which is also relevant to dealing with climate ...Quantitatively analysing the impacts on regional water sustainability under the energy transition is vital to regional water management and specific technology selection,which is also relevant to dealing with climate change.This study proposed a new multi-indicator evaluation framework for regional water sustainability under local energy transition to quantitatively evaluate the water withdrawal and water environment during the energy transition from a lifecycle perspective.An integrated regional energy-water evaluation model was also developed based on the Low Emissions Analysis Platform with a combination of lifecycle assessment and water footprint analysis.Shaanxi province in China was then taken as a case study,and the impacts of its energy transition on regional water environmental sustainability,including quantity and quality,were investigated under five scenarios.Results showed that the large-scale application of carbon capture,utilisation and storage technology and bio-energy equipped with carbon capture and storage technology could have additional advantages regarding CO_(2) emissions.However,such technologies exhibit a minimal effect on improving water environmental quality and reducing water demand for the first time due to the leakage of absorbents,CO_(2) and other risky substances during capture,transportation and storage from a lifecycle perspective.This finding drives the innovation of related breakthrough technologies with the promotion of water and end-treatment technologies in the future.展开更多
Low-frequency signals have been widely found in the conventional oil/gas field and volcanic region as well as during hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil/gas reservoirs.Their generation mechanism has been ascrib...Low-frequency signals have been widely found in the conventional oil/gas field and volcanic region as well as during hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil/gas reservoirs.Their generation mechanism has been ascribed to the flow of gas/fluid in the fractures,which can induce the Krauklis wave around fractures and can further excite low-frequency seismic body wave signals at diffraction points.Thus,it is theoretically feasible to determine the gas/fluid enrichment areas and migration pathways by locating the low-frequency signals.Here we have utilized a surface dense seismic array deployed above the Sijiazhuang coal mine in Shanxi province to detect and locate such low-frequency signals that are dominant in the frequency range of 1.5–4.0 Hz.Waveform migrationbased location method is employed to locate these signals that have low signal to noise ratios.We further compare the distribution of low-frequency signals and coalbed methane concentrations that are estimated based on ambient noise tomography result with the same seismic array.The spatial consistency between low-frequency signals and coalbed methane enrichment areas suggests that detecting and locating low-frequency signals with a surface seismic array is an efficient way to identify gas enrichment areas and potential gas migration pathways.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82070676)Jiangsu Provincial Medi-cal Innovation Center (CXZX202203)Jiangsu Provincial Medi-cal Key Laboratory (ZDXYS202201)。
文摘Background: Regulatory B cells(Bregs) is an indispensable element in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. As one of the microRNAs(miRNAs), mi R-29a-3p also inhibits translation by degrading the target mRNA, and yet the relationship between Bregs and mi R-29a-3p has not yet been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of miR-29a-3p on the regulation of differentiation and immunosuppressive functions of memory Bregs(m Bregs) and ultimately provide potentially effective therapies in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. Methods: Flow cytometry was employed to determine the levels of Bregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. TaqMan low-density array miRNA assays were used to identify the expression of different miRNAs, electroporation transfection was used to induce mi R-29a-3p overexpression and knockdown, and dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the target gene of miR-29a-3p. Results: In patients experiencing acute rejection after liver transplantation, the proportions and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs in the circulating blood were significantly impaired. mi R-29a-3p was found to be a regulator of m Bregs differentiation. Inhibition of miR-29a-3p, which targeted nuclear factor of activated T cells 5(NFAT5), resulted in a conspicuous boost in the differentiation and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs. The inhibition of mi R-29a-3p in CD19~+ B cells was capable of raising the expression levels of NFAT5, thereby promoting B cells to differentiate into m Bregs. In addition, the observed enhancement of differentiation and immunosuppressive function of m Bregs upon mi R-29a-3p inhibition was abolished by the knockdown of NFAT5 in B cells. Conclusions: mi R-29a-3p was found to be a crucial regulator for m Bregs differentiation and immunosuppressive function. Silencing mi R-29a-3p could be a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation.
文摘We present a short and simple proof of the recent result of Yang and Wang [12]. Stimulated by their idea, two geometric parameters Uax（ε） and βx （ε）, both related to Gao＇s modulus of U-convexity of a Banach space X, are introduced. Their properties and the relationships with normal structure are studied. Some existing results involving normal structure and fixed points for non-expansive mappings in Banach spaces are improved.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFC1504102)National Natural Science Foundation of China(41961134001).
文摘Detecting subsurface fault structure is important for evaluating potential earthquake risks associated with active faults.In this study,we propose a new method to detect faults using reflected surface waves observed in ambient noise cross correlation functions.Ambient noise tomography using direct surface waves obtained from ambient noise interferometry has been widely used to characterize active fault zones.In cases where a strong velocity contrast exists across the fault interface,fault-reflected surface waves are expected.We test this idea using a linear array deployed in the Suqian segment of Tanlu fault zone in Eastern China.The fault-reflected surface waves can be clearly seen in the cross-correlation functions of the ambient noise data,and the spatial position of the fault on the surface is close to the stations where the reflected signals first appear.Potentially reflected surface waves could also be used to infer the dip angle,fault zone thickness and the degree of velocity contrast across the fault by comparing synthetic and observed waveforms.
基金funded by the Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province in China(“Pioneer”and“Bellwethers”R&D Projects,No.2022C03119)the Environmental Defense Fund(Nos.EDF-B-5282019 and 20220023).
文摘Synergetic energy-water-carbon pathways are key issues to be tackled under carbon-neutral target and high-quality development worldwide,especially in ecologically vulnerable regions(EVRs).In this study,to explore the synergistic pathways in an EVR,a water-energy-carbon assessment(WECA)model was built,and the synergistic effects of water-energy-carbon were comprehensively and quantitatively analyzed under various scenarios of regional transition.Shaanxi Province was chosen as the representative EVR,and Lower challenge(LEC)and Greater challenge(GER)scenarios of zerocarbon transition were set considering the technological maturity and regional energy characteristics.The results showed that there were limited effects under the zero-carbon transition of the entire region on reducing water withdrawals and improving the water quality.In the LEC scenario,the energy demand and CO_(2) emissions of Shaanxi in 2060 will decrease by 70.9%and 99.4%,respectively,whereas the water withdrawal and freshwater aquatic ecotoxicity potential(FAETP)will only decrease by 8.9%and 1.6%,respectively.This could be attributed to the stronger demand for electricity in the energy demand sector caused by industrial transition measures.The GER scenario showed significant growth in water withdrawals(16.0%)and FAETP(36.0%)because of additional biomass demand.To promote the synergetic development of regional transition,EVRs should urgently promote zero-carbon technologies(especially solar and wind power technologies)between 2020 and 2060 and dry cooling technology for power generation before 2030.In particular,a cautious attitude toward the biomass energy with carbon capture and storage technology in EVRs is strongly recommended.
基金supported by the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (JSGG20200225151916021)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U21A2097)+3 种基金Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province (2019ZT08Y191,2019QN01Y640)Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials(2022B1212010003)Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering (ZDSYS20200811144003009)Shenzhen Science and Technology Program (KQTD20190929172743294)。
文摘The critical factor of spatial constraint,provided by the external confinement(e.g.,matrix),is often overlooked during photodynamic inactivation,despite playing a crucial role in determining the molecular photophysical process and subsequent antipathogen performance.Here,as a proof-of-concept model,we employed two types of polymers with varying interaction energies with dopants to investigate the intrinsic relationship between spatial constraint and the essential excited-state behaviors of doped photosensitizer(4-(2-(5-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)ethyl)-1-methylquinolin-1-ium iodine,TPP).Through experimental investigation and theoretical calculations,we found that TPP tends to remain in the excited state for a shorter dwell time under weaker spatial constraints due to less restricted molecular motion in polyurethane(PU) nanofibers.Consequently,the singlet oxygen(^(1)O_(2)) generated from doped-TPP shows a 9.23-fold enhancement in PU than in the polyvinylchloride(PVC) matrix.Under light irradiation,the PU@TPP nanofiber can efficiently eliminate the coronavirus MHV-A59(≥99.9997%) at a 220,000-fold higher concentration than the infected space.Its antibacterial efficacy has also been demonstrated,with a killing rate of ≥99%.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(grant no.2020YFA0908900)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.U21A2097)+5 种基金Key Technology Research and Development Program of Shandong(grant no.2021CXGC010212)Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials(grant no.2022B1212010003)Guangdong Natural Science Foundation Joint Fund(grant no.2020A1515110380)the Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(grant nos.KQTD20200820113012029 and JCYJ20220818100416036)the start-up fund provided by SUSTech for financial supportThe authors acknowledge the Center for Computational Science and Engineering at SUSTech for theoretical calculation support,and SUSTech Core Research Facilities for technical support.
文摘Fluorophores with controlled on–off switching properties and subcellular targeting abilities are essential for modern super-resolution microscopy techniques.However,the effective design strategies of blinking fluorophores are still limited with scarce building blocks(e.g.,rhodamine and cyanine analogues),and sophisticated functionalization is always required for organelle recognition.Therefore,exploring live-cell compatible and organelle-targetable fluorophores with a new blinking mechanism is of broad interest to promote the emerging development of superresolution microscopy.Here,we report a type of live-cell permeable fluorophore with a facile synthesis strategy to facilitate the imaging of lipid droplets and lysosomes using single-molecule localization microscopy.The fluorophores only require a two-step synthetic route.They show signature enol-keto tautomerism by spontaneous proton transfer at the ground state without additional photoactivation,which ensures blinking performance by exciting the minor portion of molecules in keto form.This fluorescence switching mechanism provides a distinct character from that of previously reported live-cell permeable dyes for super-resolution imaging,while the specific organelle binding affinity can be tuned by simply changing the targeting moiety of fluorophores.
基金supported by the Department of Science and Technology of Zhejiang province in China (Pioneer and Bellwethers R&D Projects,2022C03119)the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF-B-2019,and 20220023).
文摘Quantitatively analysing the impacts on regional water sustainability under the energy transition is vital to regional water management and specific technology selection,which is also relevant to dealing with climate change.This study proposed a new multi-indicator evaluation framework for regional water sustainability under local energy transition to quantitatively evaluate the water withdrawal and water environment during the energy transition from a lifecycle perspective.An integrated regional energy-water evaluation model was also developed based on the Low Emissions Analysis Platform with a combination of lifecycle assessment and water footprint analysis.Shaanxi province in China was then taken as a case study,and the impacts of its energy transition on regional water environmental sustainability,including quantity and quality,were investigated under five scenarios.Results showed that the large-scale application of carbon capture,utilisation and storage technology and bio-energy equipped with carbon capture and storage technology could have additional advantages regarding CO_(2) emissions.However,such technologies exhibit a minimal effect on improving water environmental quality and reducing water demand for the first time due to the leakage of absorbents,CO_(2) and other risky substances during capture,transportation and storage from a lifecycle perspective.This finding drives the innovation of related breakthrough technologies with the promotion of water and end-treatment technologies in the future.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under grant 41961134991。
文摘Low-frequency signals have been widely found in the conventional oil/gas field and volcanic region as well as during hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil/gas reservoirs.Their generation mechanism has been ascribed to the flow of gas/fluid in the fractures,which can induce the Krauklis wave around fractures and can further excite low-frequency seismic body wave signals at diffraction points.Thus,it is theoretically feasible to determine the gas/fluid enrichment areas and migration pathways by locating the low-frequency signals.Here we have utilized a surface dense seismic array deployed above the Sijiazhuang coal mine in Shanxi province to detect and locate such low-frequency signals that are dominant in the frequency range of 1.5–4.0 Hz.Waveform migrationbased location method is employed to locate these signals that have low signal to noise ratios.We further compare the distribution of low-frequency signals and coalbed methane concentrations that are estimated based on ambient noise tomography result with the same seismic array.The spatial consistency between low-frequency signals and coalbed methane enrichment areas suggests that detecting and locating low-frequency signals with a surface seismic array is an efficient way to identify gas enrichment areas and potential gas migration pathways.
