Structural Cues for Understanding eEF1A2 Moonlighting

Spontaneous mutations in the EEF1A2 gene cause epilepsy and severe neurological disabilities in children. The crystal structure of eEF1A2 protein purified from rabbit skeletal muscle reveals a post-translationally modified dimer that provides information about the sites of interaction with numerous binding partners, including itself, and maps these mutations onto the dimer and tetramer interfaces. The spatial locations of the side chain carboxylates of Glu301 and Glu374, to which phosphatidylethanolamine is uniquely attached via an amide bond, define the anchoring points of eEF1A2 to cellular membranes and interorganellar membrane contact sites. Additional bioinformatic and molecular modeling results provide novel structural insight into the demonstrated binding of eEF1A2 to SH3 domains, the common MAPK docking groove, filamentous actin, and phosphatidylinositol-4 kinase IIIβ. In this new light, the role of eEF1A2 as an ancient, multifaceted, and articulated G protein at the crossroads of autophagy, oncogenesis and viral replication appears very distant from the “canonical” one of delivering aminoacyl-tRNAs to the ribosome that has dominated the scene and much of the thinking for many decades.     

Synthesis of Diamond@SiO2@Ag composite materials for high SERS effect

Among various carbon materials, diamond stands out due to excellent physical and chemical properties. In this work, we designed Dia@SiO₂@Ag composites combining diamond micropowder and Ag nanoparticles by a simple chemical method and obtained stable substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) owing to its high surface-to-volume ratio, low density, as well as close bond between diamond and Ag. As-prepared Dia@SiO₂@Ag presented high activity to detect crystal violet and rhodamine 6G molecules, which was demonstrated by significantly enhanced SERS spectra and high enhancement factor values (10⁸-10⁹). Moreover, Dia@SiO₂@Ag also showed desired sensitivity, which was investigated by detection limit. Therefore, our study provided more theoretical support and broadened the functional applications of diamond, particularly in Raman detection.     

网络安全威胁因素及其常见网络安全技术分析

社会经济的快速发展促进了科学技术水平的显著提升，社会生产生活各个领域当中对计算机网络的应用程度不断提升，当前，网络已经成为了人们日常生活与工作的重要组成部分。为此，加强对网络安全等因素影响研究就显得格外重要。网络环境关系着用户的使用质量，更加影响人们的工作效率，加强对网络安全技术的研究时解决相关问题的核心内容。本文针对网络安全威胁因素以及常见的网络安全技术进行了简要分析。     

Preliminary Evidence on the Diagnostic and Molecular Role of Circulating Soluble EGFR in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Assessment of biological diagnostic factors providing clinically-relevant information to guide physician decision-making are still needed for diseases with poor outcomes, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a promising molecule in the clinical management of NSCLC. While the EGFR transmembrane form has been extensively investigated in large clinical trials, the soluble, circulating EGFR isoform (sEGFR), which may have a potential clinical use, has rarely been considered. This study investigates the use of sEGFR as a potential diagnostic biomarker for NSCLC and also characterizes the biological function of sEGFR to clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in the course of action of this protein. Plasma sEGFR levels from a heterogeneous cohort of 37 non-advanced NSCLC patients and 54 healthy subjects were analyzed by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The biological function of sEGFR was analyzed in vitro using NSCLC cell lines, investigating effects on cell proliferation and migration. We found that plasma sEGFR was significantly decreased in the NSCLC patient group as compared to the control group (median value: 48.6 vs. 55.6 ng/mL respectively; p = 0.0002). Moreover, we demonstrated that sEGFR inhibits growth and migration of NSCLC cells in vitro through molecular mechanisms that included perturbation of EGF/EGFR cell signaling and holoreceptor internalization. These data show that sEGFR is a potential circulating biomarker with a physiological protective role, providing a first approach to the functional role of the soluble isoform of EGFR. However, the impact of these data on daily clinical practice needs to be further investigated in larger prospective studies.     

荷花山铅锌矿与铜陵地区其它矿床成矿控制因素的对比研究

为了探讨荷花山铅锌矿控矿因素上与铜陵地区其它矿床异同，运用宏、微观相结合，地质观察研究同位素地球化学以及流体包裹体分析相结合的方法，通过地层岩性、地质构造、特定地质体及成矿流体的来源和性质等几个方面与成矿关系的比较，揭示了这种新类型矿床的控矿因素的特点是与岩浆关系不密切的低温热液、角砾岩控矿。得出了这种新类型矿床既具有铜陵地区其它矿床的控矿因素，同时也具有自己独特的控矿因素的结论。     

磁絮凝强化技术处理厌氧消化污泥脱水液

为满足后续生物处理单元对固体悬浮物（SS）和铁浓度的进水要求，采用磁絮凝强化技术对厌氧消化污泥脱水液进行预处理。通过正交试验和单因素试验，本文考察了混凝水力条件、聚合氯化铝（PAC）投加量、聚丙烯酰胺（PAM）投加量、磁粉投加量及药剂投加顺序对磁絮凝效果的影响。试验结果表明：磁絮凝强化技术在快搅300r/min（2min）、慢搅100r/min（15min）、静置10min时，依次投加磁粉（40mg/L）、PAC（30mg/L）、PAM（4mg/L）时处理效果最好。在此运行条件下，SS和Fe³⁺去除率分别为97.61%、98.24%、絮凝指数（FI值）取得最大值、zeta电位绝对值最小，絮凝效果最佳。与对照相比，磁絮凝强化技术对SS和Fe³⁺去除率分别可提高3.70%和10.82%，同时絮体最大沉降速度可提高33%。磁絮凝技术处理后的出水不仅可以满足后续生物处理单元对SS和铁浓度的要求，还可以有效提高磁絮凝体的沉降速度，减小沉淀时间，具有较好的实用价值。     

Assessing trophic position quantification methods for three piscivorous freshwater fish using stable isotopes and stomach contents

Accurate trophic position (TP) estimates are important for the development of ecosystem-based management plans. TPs can be quantified by carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) stable isotopes in tissues, but these can disagree with observed and perceived feeding ecology. A recent method that has used a scaled diet-tissue discrimination factor (DTDF), reflecting the inverse relationship between DTDF and δ¹⁵N, was found to better describe TPs of predatory fish species in marine ecosystems, but this has not been tested in freshwater ecosystems. Here, we compare methods of TP estimations in the Lake Huron-Erie corridor (HEC), a system where high diversity of prey items has contributed to the concern that foraging ecology of piscivorous fish species is poorly understood. Using δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C, we quantified TP of longnose gar (Lepisosteus osseus), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and northern pike (Esox lucius) to assess the efficacy of a scaled DTDF compared to traditional DTDF isotope methods and stomach content analysis (SCA). The scaled DTDF method produced TP estimates that were at times consistent with SCA and were generally higher and with a greater range among individuals than non-scaled DTDFs. The scaled method was not sensitive to baseline choice nor influenced by incorporating carbon source in the model. Greater variability of TP estimates using a scaled DTDF suggests more complex trophic structuring in the upper trophic level guild of the HEC. These results, particularly the lack of baseline sensitivity, provide support for using the scaled DTDF in freshwater food web characterization.     

Cell Sheet Comprised of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Overexpressing Stem Cell Factor Promotes Epicardium Activation and Heart Function Improvement in a Rat Model of Myocardium Infarction

Cell therapy of the post-infarcted myocardium is still far from clinical use. Poor survival of transplanted cells, insufficient regeneration, and replacement of the damaged tissue limit the potential of currently available cell-based techniques. In this study, we generated a multilayered construct from adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) modified to secrete stem cell factor, SCF. In a rat model of myocardium infarction, we show that transplantation of SCF producing cell sheet induced activation of the epicardium and promoted the accumulation of c-kit positive cells in ischemic muscle. Morphometry showed the reduction of infarct size (16%) and a left ventricle expansion index (0.12) in the treatment group compared to controls (24–28%; 0.17–0.32). The ratio of viable myocardium was more than 1.5-fold higher, reaching 49% compared to the control (28%) or unmodified cell sheet group (30%). Finally, by day 30 after myocardium infarction, SCF-producing cell sheet transplantation increased left ventricle ejection fraction from 37% in the control sham-operated group to 53%. Our results suggest that, combining the genetic modification of MSCs and their assembly into a multilayered construct, we can provide prolonged pleiotropic effects to the damaged heart, induce endogenous regenerative processes, and improve cardiac function.     

Effect of fortification with asparagus powder on the qualitative properties of processed cheese

The qualitative properties of processed cheese (PC) fortified with different levels of asparagus powder (AP) (0.5%, 1% and 1.5% wt/wt) were evaluated during storage. AP decreased the pH and lipolysis indexes and increased the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and proteolysis of the processed cheeses. AP made the structure of the cheese more elastic, increased the rigidity and decreased the spreadability compared with the control sample, which corresponded to the results obtained using dynamic oscillatory rheometry. The results showed that AP as a rich source of bioactive components could be used for the fortification of processed cheeses.