Highlights d A single-cell EC atlas of healthy murine tissues d This study provides an interactive webtool for comparative analyses and data exploration d Characterization of inter-and intra-tissue EC heterogeneity d Discovery tool for characterization of ECs in other datasets

Pores in coal and their connectivity are important properties of coal, providing network or channels for gas storage and migration within coal, e.g. during the coalbed methane (CBM) recovery. To investigate the growth characteristics and genetic types of pores in coal in terms of macropore and mesopore, the pores of a high-rank coal were measured by various techniques such as the mercury intrusion method, nitrogen adsorption, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), and X-ray micro-CT (Computed Tomography). Two high-rank coals formed from regional metamorphism collected from the southern Qinshui basin were selected. The FIB-SEM and X-ray micro-CT provides detailed experimental information for development of a three dimensional (3D) pore network model, which was further used to characterize the pore connectivity. Volume percent of pores of these high-rank coals are dominated by mesopores of approximately 10-50 nm in width, and then followed by micropores, along with the smallest volume percent of macropores. The connectivity within this high-rank coal was mesopore-dominated pore network. Electron microscopy observations further revealed there are coalification-related pores and mineral-related pores in the high-rank coal. The coalification-related pores can be classified as secondary gas pores in organic matter and shrinkage-induced pores around quartz and clay minerals; and the mineral-related pores are developed within minerals, and can be classified as dissolution-created pores and intercrystalline pores. The secondary gas pores are macropores and have poor connectivity. The mineral-related pores can be both macropores and mesopores, and have little influence on pore connectivity due to small content of carbonate minerals in these samples. Under electron microscopy, the shrinkage-induced pores are mainly mesopores. The regional metamorphism, with a high abnormal old thermal field in the research area, is the precondition of the formation of the shrinkage-induced pores. The quartz and clay minerals in the coal provide different formation conditions and hence form different shapes of the shrinkage-induced pores. The coal samples include a large number of shrinkage-induced pores that act as the interconnected pores in the coal and exhibit good connectivity. The quartz and clay minerals play a significant role in developing the interconnected pores in the high-rank coal formed from regional metamorphism.

No abstract

VEGF-B was discovered a long time ago. However, unlike VEGF-A, whose function has been extensively studied, the function of VEGF-B and the mechanisms involved still remain poorly understood. Notwithstanding, drugs that inhibit VEGF-B and other VEGF family members have been used to treat patients with neovascular diseases. It is therefore critical to have a better understanding of VEGF-B function and the underlying mechanisms. Here, using comprehensive methods and models, we have identified VEGF-B as a potent antioxidant. Loss of Vegf-b by gene deletion leads to retinal degeneration in mice, and treatment with VEGF-B rescues retinal cells from death in a retinitis pigmentosa model. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that VEGF-B up-regulates numerous key antioxidative genes, particularly, Gpx1. Loss of Gpx1 activity largely diminished the antioxidative effect of VEGF-B, demonstrating that Gpx1 is at least one of the critical downstream effectors of VEGF-B. In addition, we found that the antioxidant function of VEGF-B is mediated mainly by VEGFR1. Given that oxidative stress is a crucial factor in numerous human diseases, VEGF-B may have therapeutic value for the treatment of such diseases.

No abstract