A phylogenomic tree inferred with an inexpensive PCR-generated probe kit resolves higher-level relationships among Neptis butterflies (Nymphalidae: Limenitidinae)

Recent advances in obtaining reduced representation libraries for next-generation sequencing permit phylogenomic analysis of species-rich, recently diverged taxa. In this study, we performed sequence capture with homemade PCR-generated probes to study diversification among closely related species in a large insect genus to examine the utility of this method. We reconstructed the phylogeny of Neptis Fabricius, a large and poorly studied nymphalid butterfly genus distributed throughout the Old World. We inferred relationships among 108 Neptis samples using 89 loci totaling up to 84 519 bp per specimen. Our taxon sample focused on Palearctic, Oriental and Australasian species, but included 8 African species and outgroups from 5 related genera. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses yielded identical trees with full support for almost all nodes. We confirmed that Neptis is not monophyletic because Lasippa heliodore (Fabricius) and Phaedyma amphion (Linnaeus) are nested within the genus, and we redefine species groups for Neptis found outside of Africa. The statistical support of our results demonstrates that the probe set we employed is useful for inferring phylogenetic relationships among Neptis species and likely has great value for intrageneric phylogenetic reconstruction of Lepidoptera. Based on our results, we revise the following two taxa: Neptis heliodore comb. rev. and Neptis amphion comb. rev.     

Effect of cytosine hydroxymethylation on DNA charge transport

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - DNA hydroxymethylation plays a very important role in some biological processes, such as DNA methylation process. In addition, its presence can also cause some...     

Natural Conception May Be an Acceptable Option in HIV-Serodiscordant Couples in Resource Limited Settings

Many HIV serodiscordant couples have a strong desire to have their own biological children. Natural conception may be the only choice in some resource limited settings but data about natural conception is limited. Here, we reported our findings of natural conception in HIV serodiscordant couples. Between January 2008 and June 2014, we retrospectively collected data on 91 HIV serodiscordant couples presenting to Beijing Youan Hospital with childbearing desires. HIV counseling, effective ART on HIV infected partners, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in negative female partners and timed intercourse were used to maximally reduce the risk of HIV transmission. Of the 91 HIV serodiscordant couples, 43 were positive in male partners and 48 were positive in female partners. There were 196 unprotected vaginal intercourses, 100 natural conception and 97 newborns. There were no cases of HIV seroconversion in uninfected sexual partners. Natural conception may be an acceptable option in HIV-serodiscordant couples in resource limited settings if HIV-positive individuals have undetectable viremia on HAART, combined with HIV counseling, PrEP, PEP and timed intercourse.     

Protective Effects of Aquaporin-4 Deficiency on Longer-term Neurological Outcomes in a Mouse Model

Neurochemical Research - Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been a crucial health problem, with more than 50 million patients worldwide each year. Glymphatic system is a fluid exchange system that...     

A novel hypoxia gene signature indicates prognosis and immune microenvironments characters in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Due to the lack of a suitable gene signature, it is difficult to assess the hypoxic exposure of HCC tissues. The clinical value of assessing hypoxia in HCC is short of tissue-level evidence. We tried to establish a robust and HCC-suitable hypoxia signature using microarray analysis and a robust rank aggregation algorithm. Based on the hypoxia signature, we obtained a hypoxia-associated HCC subtypes system using unsupervised hierarchical clustering and a hypoxia score system was provided using gene set variation analysis. A novel signature containing 21 stable hypoxia-related genes was constructed to effectively indicate the exposure of hypoxia in HCC tissues. The signature was validated by qRT-PCR and compared with other published hypoxia signatures in multiple large-size HCC cohorts. The subtype of HCC derived from this signature had different prognosis and other clinical characteristics. The hypoxia score obtained from the signature could be used to indicate clinical characteristics and predict prognoses of HCC patients. Moreover, we reveal a landscape of immune microenvironments in patients with different hypoxia score. In conclusion, we identified a novel HCC-suitable 21-gene hypoxia signature that could be used to estimate the hypoxia exposure in HCC tissues and indicated prognosis and a series of important clinical features in HCCs. It may enable the development of personalized counselling or treatment strategies for HCC patients with different levels of hypoxia exposure.     

A Proteomics Sample Preparation Method for Mature,Recalcitrant Leaves of Perennial Plants

Sample preparation is key to the success of proteomics studies. In the present study, two sample preparation methods were tested for their suitability on the mature, recalcitrant leaves of six representative perennial plants (grape, plum, pear, peach, orange, and ramie). An improved sample preparation method was obtained: Tris and Triton X-100 were added together instead of CHAPS to the lysis buffer, and a 20% TCA-water solution and 100% precooled acetone were added after the protein extraction for the further purification of protein. This method effectively eliminates nonprotein impurities and obtains a clear two-dimensional gel electrophoresis array. The method facilitates the separation of high-molecular-weight proteins and increases the resolution of low-abundance proteins. This method provides a widely applicable and economically feasible technology for the proteomic study of the mature, recalcitrant leaves of perennial plants.     

Steric Engineering of Alkylthiolation Side Chains to Finely Tune Miscibility in Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cells

Morphology and miscibility control are still a great challenge in polymer solar cells. Despite physical tools being applied, chemical strategies are still limited and complex. To finely tune blend miscibility to obtain optimized morphology, chemical steric engineering is proposed to systemically investigate its effects on optical and electronic properties, especially on a balance between crystallinity and miscibility. By changing the alkylthiol side chain orientation different steric effects are realized in three different polymers. Surprisingly, the photovoltaic device of the polymer PTBB‐m with middle steric structure affords a better power conversion efficiency, over 12%, compared to those of the polymers PTBB‐o and PTBB‐p with large or small steric structures, which could be attributed to a more balanced blend miscibility without sacrificing charge‐carrier transport. Space charge‐limited current, atomic force microscopy, grazing incidence wide angle X‐ray scattering, and resonant soft X‐ray scattering measurements show that the steric engineering of alkylthiol side chains can have significant impacts on polymer aggregation properties, blend miscibility, and photovoltaic performances. More important, the control of miscibility via the simple chemical approach has preliminarily proved its great potential and will pave a new avenue for optimizing the blend morphology.     

上海佛甲草模块式屋顶绿化夏季昼夜节能效应研究

利用屋顶绿化隔热,对降低夏季空调耗能尤为重要。目前中国还缺少针对其日照环境差异下夏季昼夜热效应的全面考察研究。借助建筑日照分析将试验屋顶划分为4个日照区间,利用HOBO小气象站测取环境温度数据、热电偶昼夜连续测取不同日照区间多点温度数据,综合分析上海佛甲草模块式屋顶绿化的昼夜隔热效果。研究结果表明：试验屋顶绿化在夏季白天的隔热效果明显,最大屋面降温值可达28℃以上,日照越强隔热效果越明显;夜间的散热效果不及裸屋面;且存在最高温度时滞效应。其对建筑节能的昼夜综合效应,需要结合建筑屋顶构造自身的保温隔热性能、屋面日照条件以及建筑的昼夜使用节律做进一步的深入研究,以期达到屋顶绿化经济价值与节能效益的最大化。