Search Results (8)

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), specifically those containing K Homology (KH) domains, are critical for post-transcriptional regulation and abiotic stress responsiveness in plants. However, systematic characterization of the KHD gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) remains unreported. Here, we identified 83 StKHD genes unevenly distributed across 12 potato chromosomes, which clustered into five subgroups with conserved gene structures and motif compositions. Most StKHD proteins were predicted to localize to the nucleus, confirmed experimentally for StKHD-41 via transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Collinearity analysis revealed 23, 22, 19, and 4 orthologous pairs with Arabidopsis, tomato, pepper, and tobacco, respectively. Promoter analysis showed distribution of hormone- and stress-responsive cis-elements, while interaction network analysis predicted 39 StKHDs interacting with 137 proteins. Tissue-specific profiling revealed broad expression of several StKHDs, and specific members displayed consistent expression changes under abiotic stresses, correlating with TC-rich repeat enrichment. RT-qPCR validated that StKHD-41 responded rapidly to JA, moderately to SA/GA, and slowly to ABA, with significant upregulation under drought and salt stress by day 2. This study provides a foundation for understanding StKHD functions and identifies targets for enhancing potato stress resistance. Full article

As a master regulator in cells, RNA-binding protein (RBP) plays critical roles in organismal development, metabolism and various diseases. It regulates gene expression at various levels mostly by specific recognition of target RNA. The traditional CLIP-seq method to detect transcriptome-wide RNA targets of RBP is less efficient in yeast due to the low UV transmissivity of their cell walls. Here, we established an efficient HyperTRIBE (Targets of RNA-binding proteins Identified By Editing) in yeast, by fusing an RBP to the hyper-active catalytic domain of human RNA editing enzyme ADAR2 and expressing the fusion protein in yeast cells. The target transcripts of RBP were marked with new RNA editing events and identified by high-throughput sequencing. We successfully applied HyperTRIBE to identifying the RNA targets of two yeast RBPs, KHD1 and BFR1. The antibody-free HyperTRIBE has competitive advantages including a low background, high sensitivity and reproducibility, as well as a simple library preparation procedure, providing a reliable strategy for RBP target identification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Full article

Post-transcriptional gene regulation is driven by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Recent global approaches suggest widespread autoregulation of RBPs through binding to their own mRNA; however, little is known about the regulatory impact and quantitative models remain elusive. By integration of several independent kinetic parameters and abundance data, we modelled autoregulatory feedback loops for six canonical and non-canonical RBPs from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, namely Hrb1p, Hek2/Khd1p, Ski2p, Npl3p, Pfk2p, and Map1p. By numerically solving ordinary differential equations, we compared non-feedback models with models that considered the RPBs as post-transcriptional activators/repressors of their own expression. While our results highlight a substantial gap between predicted protein output and experimentally determined protein abundances applying a no-feedback model, addition of positive feedback loops are surprisingly versatile and can improve predictions towards experimentally determined protein levels, whereas negative feedbacks are particularly sensitive to cooperativity. Our data suggests that introduction of feedback loops supported by real data can improve models of post-transcriptional gene expression. Full article

This study aimed to analyze feature importance by applying explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to postural deformity parameters extracted from a computer vision-based posture analysis system (CVPAS). Overall, 140 participants were screened for CVPAS and enrolled. The main data analyzed were shoulder height difference (SHD), wrist height difference (WHD), and pelvic height difference (PHD) extracted using a CVPAS. Standing X-ray imaging and radiographic assessments were performed. Predictive modeling was implemented with XGBoost, random forest regressor, and logistic regression using XAI techniques for global and local feature analyses. Correlation analysis was performed between radiographic assessment and AI evaluation for PHD, SHD, and Cobb angle. Main global features affecting scoliosis were analyzed in the order of importance for PHD (0.18) and ankle height difference (0.06) in predictive modeling. Outstanding local features were PHD, WHD, and KHD that predominantly contributed to the increase in the probability of scoliosis, and the prediction probability of scoliosis was 94%. When the PHD was >3 mm, the probability of scoliosis increased sharply to 85.3%. The paired t-test result for AI and radiographic assessments showed that the SHD, Cobb angle, and scoliosis probability were significant (p < 0.05). Feature importance analysis using XAI to postural deformity parameters extracted from a CVPAS is a useful clinical decision support system for the early detection of posture deformities. PHD was a major parameter for both global and local analyses, and 3 mm was a threshold for significantly increasing the probability of local interpretation of each participant and the prediction of postural deformation, which leads to the prediction of participant-specific scoliosis. Full article

Hardiness and resilience are known as internal traits that buffer the negative effects of stress and play important roles in individuals’ well-being and psychological sustainability. This study aimed to validate the Korean version of the hardiness resilience gauge (HRG Korean). Reliability and validity were analyzed using data obtained from 389 Korean adults. Confirmatory factor analysis with three factors (challenge, control, and commitment) for the HRG Korean showed acceptable model fit, with satisfactory RMSEA and SRMR indices, allowing for some covariance in error terms. Cronbach’s α for challenge, control, commitment subscales, and the total HRG Korean were 0.84, 0.74, 0.86, and 0.92, respectively. Analyses of the concurrent validity revealed that the total score of the HRG Korean was closely correlated with the scores of the KHD-SF and MR-KA, which measure hardiness and resilience in Korea, respectively. In addition, the HRG Korean was relatively strongly correlated with life satisfaction and subjective happiness. These findings suggest that the HRG is a valid instrument for measuring Koreans’ hardiness and resilience to promote their well-being and sustainability. Full article

The effect of Ga and V as support-modifier and promoter of NiMoV/Al2O3-Ga2O3 catalyst on hydrogenation (HYD) and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) activities was studied. The catalysts were characterized by elemental analysis, textural properties, XRD, XPS, EDS elemental mapping and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The chemical analyses by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and CHNS-O elemental analysis showed results for all compounds in agreement, within experimental accuracy, according to stoichiometric values proposed to Mo/Ni = 6 and (V+Ni)/(V+Ni+Mo) = 0.35. The sol-gel synthesis method increased the surface area by incorporation of Ga³⁺ ions into the Al₂O₃ forming Ga-O-Al bonding; whereas the impregnation synthesis method leads to decrease by blocking of alumina pores, as follows NiMoV/Al-Ga(1%-I) < NiMoV/Al-Ga(1%-SG) < NiMo/Al₂O₃ < Al₂O₃-Ga₂O₃(1%-I) < Al₂O₃-Ga₂O₃(1%-SG) < Al₂O₃, propitiating Dp-BJH between 6.18 and 7.89 nm. XRD confirmed a bulk structure typical of (NH₄)_4[NiMo₆O₂₄H₆]•5H₂O and XPS the presence at the surface of Mo⁴⁺, Mo⁶⁺, NixSy, Ni²⁺, Ga³⁺ and V⁵⁺ species, respectively. The EDS elemental mapping confirmed that Ni, Mo, Al, Ga, V and S are well-distributed on Al₂O₃-Ga₂O₃(1%-SG) support. The HRTEM analysis shows that the length and stacking distribution of MoS₂ crystallites varied from 5.07 to 5.94 nm and 2.74 to 3.58 with synthesis method (SG to I). The results of the characterization sulfided catalysts showed that the synthesis method via impregnation induced largest presence of gallium on the surface influencing the dispersion V⁵⁺ species, this effect improves the dispersion of the MoS₂ phase and increasing the number of active sites, which correlates well with the dibenzothiophene HDS and naphthalene HYD activities. The dibenzothiophene HDS activities with overall pseudo-first-order rate constants’ values (k_HDS) from 1.65 to 7.07 L/(h·mol·m²) follow the order: NiMoV-S/Al-Ga(1%-I) < NiMo-S/Al₂O₃ < NiMoV-S/Al-Ga(1%-SG), whereas the rate constants’ values (k) of naphthalene HYD from 0.022 to 2.23 L/(h·mol·m²) as follow: NiMoV-S/Al-Ga(1%-SG) < NiMo-S/Al₂O₃ < NiMoV-S/Al-Ga(1%-I). We consider that Ga and V act as structural promoters in the NiMo catalysts supported on Al₂O₃ that allows the largest generation of BRIM sites for HYD and CUS sites for DDS. Full article

The problem of heading drift error using only low cost Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEMS) Inertial-Measurement-Unit (IMU) has not been well solved. In this paper, a heading estimation method with real-time compensation based on Kalman filter has been proposed, abbreviated as KHD. For the KHD method, a unified heading error model is established for various predictable errors in magnetic compass for pedestrian navigation, and an effective method for solving the model parameters is proposed in the indoor environment with regular structure. In addition, error model parameters are solved by Kalman filtering algorithm with building geometry information in order to achieve real-time heading compensation. The experimental results show that the KHD method can not only effectively correct the original heading information, but also effectively inhibit the accumulation effect of positioning errors. The performance observed in a field experiment performed on the fourth floor of the School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics (SESSI) building on the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) campus confirms that apply KHD method to PDR(Pedestrian Dead Reckoning) algorithm can reliably achieve meter-level positioning using a low cost MEMS IMU only. Full article

In this experimental study, the strip formed specimens made from aluminum alloy 1030, pure Cu, CuSn7, CuZn30 and low carbon steel 6114 were cold worked to different ratios. To be able to determine the microhardness values of the materials, the microhardness tests were applied. Grain sizes of the materials were determined by the Heyn method using metal microscope.
The hardness of materials H, is dependent on the grain diameter, d, in a similar way as in the flow stress in the Hall-Petch relation: H=H0+KHd-1/2 where H0 and KH are constants. The microhardness of the materials is found to vary with the grain size according to the Hall-Petch equation with reasonable accuracy. Full article