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Summary: The effects of different grilling temperatures (220 °C, 250 °C, 280 °C, 310 °C) reaching the central temperature of 70 °C on heterocyclic amines (HAs) formation, moisture content, cooking loss, texture, colour, and sensory properties of grilled grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) were investigated. The grilling condition significantly (P < 0.05) affected cooking loss, moisture content, heterocyclic amines (HAs) formation, texture, colour and sensory properties. The results showed that 5 kinds of free and 9 kinds of protein‐bound heterocyclic amines were detected. The total amount of protein‐bound heterocyclic amines was much higher than that of the free state. Harman and Norharman, belonging to β‐carboline, constituted over 80% of the total content of heterocyclic amines. Considering the HAs formation and quality attributes, when the grilling condition was 280 °C for 10 min, the total content of HAs was the lowest, and the fish had moderate moisture content, firm texture, bright colour, and high sensory evaluation score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionic toxicity induced by salinization has adverse effects on the growth and development of crops. However, researches on ionic toxicity and salt tolerance in plants have focused primarily on cations such as sodium ions (Na+), with very limited studies on chloride ions (Cl−). Here, we cloned the homologous genes of Arabidopsis thaliana AtCLCc, GhCLCc-1A/D, from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), which were significantly induced by NaCl or KCl treatments. Subcellular localization showed that GhCLCc-1A/D were both localized to the tonoplast. Complementation of Arabidopsis atclcc mutant with GhCLCc-1 rescued its salt-sensitive phenotype. In addition, the silencing of the GhCLCc-1 gene led to an increased accumulation of Cl− in the roots, stems, and leaves of cotton seedlings under salt treatments, resulting in compromised salt tolerance. And ectopic expression of the GhCLCc-1 gene in Arabidopsis reduced the accumulation of Cl− in transgenic lines under salt treatments, thereby enhancing salt tolerance. These findings elucidate that GhCLCc-1 positively regulates salt tolerance by modulating Cl− accumulation and could be a potential target gene for improving salt tolerance in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The global cancer report for 2020 highlights a noteworthy surge in new cases of breast cancer, exceeding lung cancer incidence for the first time and emerging as the foremost global cancer manifestation. Breast cancer has become a prominent contributor to female cancer-related mortality. Surgical removal continues to be a primary therapeutic recourse for breast cancer patients, aiming to extend survival by addressing residual tumor foci during surgery. However, the challenge lies in achieving complete excision due to the ambiguous boundaries of tumors. NIR-II imaging, known for its heightened sensitivity, superior spatiotemporal resolution, and enhanced optical penetration depth compared to conventional optical imaging, stands out as an optimal choice for preoperative and real-time intraoperative imaging, particularly in live fluorescence imaging. Within this study, rare-earth nanoparticles α-Er NPs exhibit remarkable imaging quality in breast cancer, incorporating X-ray computed tomography and ultrasound, collectively enhancing precision in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, the study explores the photothermal therapeutic effects of α-Er NPs. Through the combination of NIR-II imaging technology with rare-earth probes, the research pioneers a secure and effective novel strategy for the precise diagnosis and treatment integration of breast cancer, establishing a robust foundation for future advancements in medical applications. Nanotheranostic agents capable of simultaneously enabling real-time tracking and precise treatment at tumor sites play an increasingly pivotal role in the field of medicine. In this article, we report a novel near-infrared-II window (NIR-II) emitting downconversion rare-earth nanoparticles (RENPs) to improve image-guided therapy for breast cancer. The developed α-NaErF4@NaYF4 nanoparticles (α-Er NPs) have a diameter of approximately 24.1 nm and exhibit superior biocompatibility and negligible toxicity. RENPs exhibit superior imaging quality and photothermal conversion efficiency in the NIR-II range compared to clinically approved indocyanine green (ICG). Under 808 nm laser irradiation, the α-Er NPs achieve significant tumor imaging performance and photothermal effects in vivo in a mouse model of breast cancer. Simultaneously, it combines X-ray computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) tri-modal imaging to guide therapy for cancer. The integration of NIR-II imaging technology and RENPs establishes a promising foundation for future medical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: H‐type hypertension (HHT) is a disease combined with hyperhomocysteinaemia and hypertension (HT). This study aims to find specific metabolic changes and reveal the pathophysiological mechanism of HHT, which provide the theoretical basis for the early prevention and treatment of HHT. Methods: Serum samples from three groups including 53 HHT patients, 36 HT patients and 46 healthy controls (HC) were collected. The targeted and untargeted metabolomics analyses were performed to determine the metabolic changes. Based on multivariate statistical analysis, the serum potential metabolites were screened and different metabolic pathways were explored. Results: Our results demonstrated that there were 28 important potential metabolites for distinguishing HT from HHT patients. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that the different metabolic pathways between HHT and HC group were arginine biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism. The changed metabolic pathway of HT and HC group included linoleic acid metabolism. The specific metabolic pathways of HT‐HHT comparison group had phenylalanine metabolism; phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis; glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Conclusions: Metabolomics analysis by mass spectrometry multi‐platform revealed the differences of metabolic profiles between HHT and HT subjects. This work laid the groundwork for understanding the aetiology of HHT, and these findings may provide the useful information for explaining the HHT metabolic alterations and try to prevent HHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor testing are performed to explore the charge induction law during the uniaxial compression fracture process of coal samples, and the charge time and frequency domain signals of coal samples with different primary fissures are analyzed in the paper. On-site monitoring of charge in different fissures distribution areas of underground coal tunnels, and the charge signals of different drillingdepths in coal seams are analyzed. The results show that the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus of multi-fissured coal samples are less than those of less fissured coal samples, and the Poisson's ratio is greater than those of less fissured coal samples. The charge induction signal intensity during the fracture process of multi-fissured coal samples is relatively low, but it is concentrated at the low frequency of 0–50 Hz in the compacting elasticity stage. The charge signal intensity during the fracture process of coal samples with less fissure is relatively high, and the charge frequency during the reinforcement damage stage is concentrated at a low frequency of 0–50 Hz. Therefore, the sudden appearance of low-frequency charge signals is more suitable as effective precursor information for the instability and failure of less fissured coal bodies. The average charge intensity is small in the multi-fissured area with a drilling depth of 1–4 m in the coal seam, and the average charge intensity of the coal body with less fissures is larger in the 5–12 m region. The on-site charge monitoring results have good consistency with the indoor test results. This study has guiding significance in setting up a charge monitoring warning index of instability failure in different coal body fissures regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation (DNAm) is an important epigenetic mechanism that plays a role in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. Elucidating the relationship between DNAm and gene expression is of great importance for understanding its role in transcriptional regulation. The conventional approach is to construct machine-learning-based methods to predict gene expression based on mean methylation signals in promoter regions. However, this type of strategy only explains about 25% of gene expression variation, and hence is inadequate in elucidating the relationship between DNAm and transcriptional activity. In addition, using mean methylation as input features neglects the heterogeneity of cell populations that can be reflected by DNAm haplotypes. We here developed TRAmaHap, a novel deep-learning framework that predicts gene expression by utilizing the characteristics of DNAm haplotypes in proximal promoters and distal enhancers. Using benchmark data of human and mouse normal tissues, TRAmHap shows much higher accuracy than existing machine-learning based methods, by explaining 60~80% of gene expression variation across tissue types and disease conditions. Our model demonstrated that gene expression can be accurately predicted by DNAm patterns in promoters and long-range enhancers as far as 25 kb away from transcription start site, especially in the presence of intra-gene chromatin interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell wall-associated receptor kinases (WAKs/WAKLs), are a specialized class of plant receptor kinases essential for signaling during stress conditions. However, there has been no report on the involvement of WAKs/WAKLs in salt tolerance in cotton. In this study, we report the functional characterization of GhWAKL26 , whose expression is induced by salt, with its levels increasing over time and with higher salt concentrations. In addition, the fusion protein of GhWAKL26 and GFP was localized to the plasma membrane. In transgenic Arabidopsis, the dry weight, fresh weight, and root length were significantly higher than those of wild-type plants, indicating enhanced salt tolerance. While in GhWAKL26 -silenced cotton seedlings, H 2 O 2 , O 2 −, and MDA content were increased, and chlorophyll content was reduced under salt stress, displaying compromised salt tolerance. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the silencing of GhWAKL26 resulted in the down-regulation of expression levels of certain ion transport-related genes under salt stress, concurrently leading to an increased Na+/K+ ratio in cotton seedlings. Overall, our findings indicate that GhWAKL26 enhanced plant resistance to salt stress in cotton by regulating the balance of Na+ and K+ ions. • GhWAKL26 responded salt stress in cotton. • GhWAKL26 overexpressed Arabidopsis increased salt stress tolerance. • GhWAKL26 gene silencing decreased salt stress tolerance in cotton. • GhWAKL26 gene silencing led to more accumulation of Na+ and a higher Na+/K+ ratio in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is a pathway to deep decarbonization. However, limited understanding of the CCU sector's technical and economic performance has hindered investment and deployment. Thus, this study comprehensively reviews CCU technologies by analyzing their strengths and applicability and quantifying their technical and economic performance based on data harmonization techniques. Results show that physical absorption presents favorable carbon dioxide (CO 2) capture cost (12.38 USD/t CO 2 on average) and CO 2 capture energy consumption (1.03 GJ/t CO 2 on average). Pipelines are the most economical method for CO 2 transportation, with a mean cost of 0.025 USD/tkm. For CO 2 chemical utilizations, dimethyl ether synthesis has the shortest economic payback time (1.88 years on average) and methanol synthesis has the highest energy efficiency (51.7% on average). Overall, CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery is well-rounded in terms of technological maturity and economic cost-effectiveness, with an average payback time of 4.1 years. For China, the annual CO 2 mitigation potential of CCU peaks in 2050 (reaching 1691 Mt of CO 2), which is mainly derived from the power, cement, and chemical production sectors. Key opportunities for CCU development in China include deploying chemical absorption in the cement and power sectors, reducing physical absorption costs in the chemical production sector, developing highly active and stable catalysts to improve the conversion rate of CO 2 to dimethyl ether, and supporting CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery via economic incentives. [Display omitted] • Techno-economic analysis for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies is performed. • Physical absorption presents favorable CO 2 capture cost and energy efficiency. • Pipeline is the most economical method for CO 2 transportation, 0.025 $/tkm on average. • CO 2 -enhanced oil recovery is well-rounded regarding technological and economic performance. • Annual CO 2 mitigation potential of CCU in China peaks in 2050 (1691 million tons). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As people are placing great importance on controlling the construction process of complex nanostructures, an increasing number of self-assembly strategies have been developed and utilized. Among them, dynamic DNA circuits as a trigger element to control DNA tile assembly have become an area of intense research. However, many significant challenges still exist in terms of improving the modularity and controllability of dynamic DNA circuits and realizing programmable DNA tile self-assembly. In this article, we construct a controllable DNA cross circuit based on a DNAzyme using a new control method and realize a programmable DNA tile self-assembly strategy by integrating a DNA cross circuit and DNA tile self-assembly. The basic idea of this new control method is to bidirectionally control the activity of the DNAzyme by changing the conformation of the DNAzyme, so as to realize the controllability of signal conversion in the DNA cross circuit. Based on this new control method, we design two double-stranded structures. Then, different inputs are used to activate the corresponding DNAzymes to further construct the modular DNA cross circuit. At the same time, the modular DNA cross circuit is used to realize different DNA tile assembly methods. The design of this system provides a new idea for generating dynamic and controllable trigger elements and broadens the programmable range of stimuli-responsive self-assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) is a multi-functional protein best known for facilitating cellular necroptosis and inflammation. Recent evidence from our lab indicates that RIPK3 expression must be tightly regulated in endothelial cells to promote angiogenesis, to maintain vascular integrity during embryogenesis, and to provide protection from postnatal atherosclerosis. RIPK3 activity and stability are regulated by post-translational modifications and caspase-dependent cleavage. However, less is known about the transcriptional regulation of Ripk3. Here we utilized an unbiased CRISPR-based technology called genomic locus proteomics (GLoPro) to screen transcription factors and coregulatory proteins associated with the Ripk3 locus in a murine endothelial cell line. We found that 41 nuclear proteins are specifically enriched at the Ripk3 locus, including the Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling pathway components NFκB1 and IKBKG. We further verified that NFκB1 and IKBKG directly bind the Ripk3 promoter and prevent TNFα-induced Ripk3 transcription in cultured human primary endothelial cells. Moreover, NFκB1 prevents RIPK3-mediated death of primary endothelial cells. These data provide new insights into NF-κB signaling and Ripk3 transcriptional regulation in endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the adaptive analysis paradigm, this paper constructs an evaluation index system and an evaluation model of the level of industrial ecology of a restricted development zone from the perspective of the industrial system and of the environmental system, and studies the spatial-temporal differentiation characteristics and the driving factors of the level of industrial ecology of the restricted development zone of the Shandong Province, China, by using a variety of measurement methods. The results show that: 1) In the temporal dimension, the level of industrial ecology of the research area increased from 2005 to 2017, while in the regional dimension, it was higher in the eastern coastal areas, followed by the northwestern area and the southwestern area; 2) In the spatial dimension, from 2005 to 2017 the level of industrial ecology of the research area had a clear spatial dependence, and the regional spatial agglomeration of the restricted development zones with similar industrial ecology levels become increasingly evident; 3) On the whole, the industrial ecology level in the study area had a clear spatial differentiation pattern, as it was higher in the north and in the east and lower in the south and in the west. Moreover, its evolution model changed from a 'three-core driven model' to a 'spatial scattered mosaic distribution model', and then to a 'single-core driven model'; 4) Industrial ecology was positively correlated with economic development, foreign investment, science and technology, and negatively correlated with the government role, while industrial structure and environmental regulation failed to pass the statistical significance test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, silver nanoparticles-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with a serum protein purification method was employed to screen liver tumors. The cellulose acetate membrane was used to separate proteins from human serum, and then the purified serum proteins were mixed with silver nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection. High-quality spectra were recorded from serum protein samples belonging to 45 healthy volunteers and 42 liver cancer patients, and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of liver cancer were 90.5% and 95.6%, respectively, indicating that this method has great application potential for the detection and screening of liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cytotoxicity and dose of anticancer drugs must be strictly controlled to achieve better therapeutic effects while reducing side effects. Here, surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of secretory proteins was employed to analyze the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin at low dose (0.01 and 0.05 μg/ml), which could not be evaluated by the conventional methyl thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The variances of SERS signals of secretory proteins between control and doxorubicin‐treated groups became greater gradually with the increase of doxorubicin dosage, and the SERS bands at 660 and 1,375 cm−1 were closely related to the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. Combined with principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis (PCA‐LDA), SERS spectra of secretory proteins from different drug dose groups could be distinguished with high sensitivity (97.2%) and accuracy (84.7%), demonstrating promising potential as an alternative nanotechnology for cytotoxicity analysis of low‐dose anticancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complexes epigenetically modulate transcription of target genes to impact a variety of developmental processes. Our lab previously demonstrated that CHD4—a central ATPase and catalytic enzyme of the NuRD chromatin-remodeling complex—plays an important role in murine embryonic endothelial cells by transcriptionally regulating vascular integrity at midgestation. Since NuRD complexes can incorporate the ATPase CHD3 as an alternative to CHD4, we questioned whether the CHD3 enzyme likewise modulates vascular development or integrity. We generated a floxed allele of Chd3 but saw no evidence of lethality or vascular anomalies when we deleted it in embryonic endothelial cells in vivo (Chd3ECKO). Furthermore, double-deletion of Chd3 and Chd4 in embryonic endothelial cells (Chd3/4ECKO) did not dramatically alter the timing and severity of embryonic phenotypes seen in Chd4ECKO mutants, indicating that CHD3 does not play a cooperative role with CHD4 in early vascular development. However, excision of Chd3 at the epiblast stage of development with a Sox2-Cre line allowed us to generate global heterozygous Chd3 mice (Chd3Δ/+), which were subsequently intercrossed and revealed partial lethality of Chd3Δ/Δ mutants prior to weaning. Tissues from surviving Chd3Δ/Δ mutants helped us confirm that CHD3 was efficiently deleted in these animals and that CHD3 is highly expressed in the gonads and brains of adult wildtype mice. Therefore, Chd3-flox mice will be beneficial for future studies about roles for this chromatin-remodeling enzyme in viable embryonic development and in gonadal and brain physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mast cell (MC) degranulation is an important step in the healing process. In this study, silver‐nanoparticles‐based surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was used to investigate the spectral characteristics of degranulation of MCs activated by low‐intensity laser. The significant spectral changes, such as Raman peak intensities, suggested the concentration variation of some degranulated substances. The Raman intensity ratio of 799–554 cm−1 could be used as a potential internal indicator for the degranulation degree of MCs. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the high dimension of spectra into a few principal components (PCs) while retaining the most diagnostically significant information for sample differentiation. Using the diagnostically significant PC scores (P < 0.05), linear discriminate analysis (LDA) was applied to identify different cell degranulation groups with high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. This exploratory work demonstrates that SERS technique combined with a PCA‐LDA algorithm possesses great potential for developing a label‐free, comprehensive, non‐invasive and accurate method for measuring MC degranulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon-enhanced luminescence (PEL) is a unique photophysical phenomenon in which the interaction between luminescent moieties and metal nanostructures results in a marked luminescence enhancement. PEL offers several advantages and has been extensively used to design robust biosensing platforms for luminescence-based detection and diagnostics applications, as well as for the development of many efficient bioimaging platforms, enabling high-contrast non-invasive real-time optical imaging of biological tissues, cells, and organelles with high spatial and temporal resolution. This review summarizes recent progress in the development of various PEL-based biosensors and bioimaging platforms for diverse biological and biomedical applications. Specifically, we comprehensively assessed rationally designed PEL-based biosensors that can efficiently detect biomarkers (proteins and nucleic acids) in point-of-care tests, highlighting significant improvements in the sensing performance upon the integration of PEL. In addition to discussing the merits and demerits of recently developed PEL-based biosensors on substrates or in solutions, we include a brief discussion on integrating PEL-based biosensing platforms into microfluidic devices as a promising multi-responsive detection method. The review also presents comprehensive details about the recent advances in the development of various PEL-based multi-functional (passive targeting, active targeting, and stimuli-responsive) bioimaging probes, highlighting the scope of future improvements in devising robust PEL-based nanosystems to achieve more effective diagnostic and therapeutic insights by enabling imaging-guided therapy. [Display omitted] • Plasmon-enhanced luminescence (PEL) can be employed in biosensing and bioimaging. • PEL biosensors are developed both on substrate and in solutions. • Integration of PEL biosensors into microfluidic devices is described. • Biological tissues and cells can be labeled and imaged using PEL probes. • PEL probes can target areas of interests and be activated by external stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood vessels have a unified mission to circulate blood throughout the body; however, they have additional diverse and specialized roles in various organs. For example, in the liver, discontinuous sinusoids, which are fenestrated capillaries with intercellular gaps and a fragmented basement membrane, facilitate delivery of macromolecules to highly metabolic hepatocytes. During embryonic development, discontinuous sinusoids also allow circulating hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells to populate the liver and promote blood cell differentiation. In this issue of the JCI, Géraud et al. describe an essential role for the transcription factor GATA4 in promoting the development of discontinuous sinusoids. In the absence of liver sinusoidal GATA4, mouse embryos developed hepatic capillaries with upregulated endothelial cell junction proteins and a continuous basement membrane. These features prevented hematopoietic progenitor cells from transmigrating into the developing liver, and Gata4-mutant embryos died from subsequent liver hypoplasia and anemia. This study highlights the surprising and extensive transcriptional control GATA4 exercises over specialized liver vascular development and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, alginate was crosslinked by a condensation reaction of cystamine or cysteine with di-terminated amine groups to form hydrogels containing disulfide bonds. These hydrogels were easily decomposed or disintegrated under physiological reducible conditions by cleavage of disulfide crosslinkage to thiol groups. Porous alginate hydrogel scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying technique. Results indicated that the pore structure and decomposition properties of the scaffolds were determined by a concentration of alginate solution as well as the amount and types of crosslinker. With surface modification using chitosan, the mechanical properties of the scaffolds were greatly improved. Cytotoxicity evaluation demonstrated that these alginate scaffolds were cytocompatible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • We developed a novel approach for different types of cancers accurate screening through coffee ring effect-assisted SERS technology. • The formed coffee ring can be chosen as the best position for SERS detection in fast sampling and reliable analysis. • For the unknown testing set, an ideal diagnostic accuracy of 100% could be achieved by the PLS-SVM algorithm for differentiating cancers from the normal group. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is considered as an ultrasensitive, non-invasive as well as rapid detection technology for cancer diagnosis. In this study, we developed a novel blood serum analysis strategy using coffee ring effect-assisted label-free SERS for different types of cancer screening. Additionally, the pretreated Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were mixed with the serum from liver cancer patients (n = 40), prostate cancer patients (n = 32) and healthy volunteers (n = 30) for SERS measurement. The droplets of Ag NPs-serum mixture formed the coffee ring on the peripheral after air-drying, and thus extremely enhancing Raman signal and ensuring the stability and reliability of SERS detection. Partial least square (PLS) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms were utilized to establish the diagnosis model for SERS spectra data classifying, yielding the high diagnostic accuracy of 98.04% for normal group and two types of cancers simultaneously distinguishing. More importantly, for the unknown testing set, an ideal diagnostic accuracy of 100% could be achieved by PLS-SVM algorithm for differentiating cancers from the normal group. The results from this exploratory work demonstrate that serum SERS detection combined with PLS-SVM diagnostic algorithm and coffee ring effect has great potential for the noninvasive and label-free detection of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The decomposition of E. vaginatum litter is faster than that of Sphagnum. • Warming could promote decomposition of E. vaginatum and Sphagnum litter. • N addition promoted the decomposition of Sphagnum (low N) and vascular litter. • High N concentration inhibited the decomposition of Sphagnum litter. • Microorganisms regulated warming and N addition impacts on litter decomposition. As one kind of the most important carbon (C) sink in the world, peatlands are sensitive to climate change. The decomposition of litter plays an important role in C fixation and nutrient utilization in peatlands. To reveal the mechanism of response of the litter decomposition to climate warming and the addition of nitrogen (N) in permafrost peatlands, we selected two typical plants, Eriophorum vaginatum and Sphagnum palustre , in the permafrost peatland of Da Xing'anling Mountains, China, as the research objects and conducted a 54-day litter decomposition experiment at 10 ℃ and 20 ℃. Three N addition treatments (CK: 0 mg N g−1, N1: 2.5 mg N g−1, and N2: 5 mg N g−1) were established. Our results showed that the E. vaginatum litter decomposed more quickly than that of Sphagnum , and an increase in temperature significantly promoted the litter decomposition and CO 2 emission of E. vaginatum and Sphagnum. The addition of N promoted the decomposition of E. vaginatum litter, whereas the decomposition of Sphagnum litter was promoted by the N1 treatment but was inhibited by the N2 treatment. The enzyme activity in both types of litter was inhibited with the increase in temperature. The abundances of bacteria and fungi positively correlated with the decomposition constant and mean CO 2 release rate by E. vaginatum and Sphagnum litter, indicating that the effects of temperature and N addition on the decomposition of plant litter were primarily regulated by microorganisms. This study provides a theoretical basis to understand and predict the effects of global climate change on the decomposition of plant litter in boreal peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The decomposition of E. vaginatum litter is faster than that of Sphagnum. • Warming could promote decomposition of E. vaginatum and Sphagnum litter. • N addition promoted the decomposition of Sphagnum (low N) and vascular litter. • High N concentration inhibited the decomposition of Sphagnum litter. • Microorganisms regulated warming and N addition impacts on litter decomposition. As one kind of the most important carbon (C) sink in the world, peatlands are sensitive to climate change. The decomposition of litter plays an important role in C fixation and nutrient utilization in peatlands. To reveal the mechanism of response of the litter decomposition to climate warming and the addition of nitrogen (N) in permafrost peatlands, we selected two typical plants, Eriophorum vaginatum and Sphagnum palustre , in the permafrost peatland of Da Xing'anling Mountains, China, as the research objects and conducted a 54-day litter decomposition experiment at 10 ℃ and 20 ℃. Three N addition treatments (CK: 0 mg N g−1, N1: 2.5 mg N g−1, and N2: 5 mg N g−1) were established. Our results showed that the E. vaginatum litter decomposed more quickly than that of Sphagnum , and an increase in temperature significantly promoted the litter decomposition and CO 2 emission of E. vaginatum and Sphagnum. The addition of N promoted the decomposition of E. vaginatum litter, whereas the decomposition of Sphagnum litter was promoted by the N1 treatment but was inhibited by the N2 treatment. The enzyme activity in both types of litter was inhibited with the increase in temperature. The abundances of bacteria and fungi positively correlated with the decomposition constant and mean CO 2 release rate by E. vaginatum and Sphagnum litter, indicating that the effects of temperature and N addition on the decomposition of plant litter were primarily regulated by microorganisms. This study provides a theoretical basis to understand and predict the effects of global climate change on the decomposition of plant litter in boreal peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we proposed a novel extraction-isolation analysis method of albumin for breast cancer detection utilizing hydroxyapatite particles (HAp) to targeted adsorb albumin from serum relying on its specific adsorption capacity. An ideal protein-release reagent was used for isolating albumin from the surface of HAp. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal of extracted albumin was obtained, and partial least squares (PLS) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) analysis approach were employed to analyze SERS spectra data, with the aim to assess the capability of HAp method for identifying breast cancer, yielding an ideal diagnostic accuracy of 98.6%, demonstrating promising potential as a non-invasive and sensitive nanotechnology for breast cancer screening. [Display omitted] • Label-free surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of serum albumin targeted adsorption by hydroxyapatite microsphere. • A novel strategy using the concentration of 0.2 M PO 4 3- solution as an ideal albumin-release reagent. • High sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of breast cancer. The serum albumin level is inseparable associated with survival in patients with breast cancer, and simultaneously serve as a good indicator of prognosis of cancer. Here, we proposed a novel extraction-isolation analysis method of albumin for breast cancer detection utilizing hydroxyapatite particles (HAp) to targeted adsorb albumin from serum relying on its specific adsorption capacity. An ideal protein-release reagent was used for isolating albumin from the surface of HAp, and meanwhile ensuring that the structure and property of albumin was not suffered damage. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal of extracted albumin was obtained, and partial least squares (PLS) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) analysis approach were employed to analyze SERS spectra data, with the aim to assess the capability of HAp method for identifying breast cancer, yielding an ideal diagnostic accuracy of 98.6%, demonstrating promising potential as a non-invasive and sensitive nanotechnology for breast cancer screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-river headwater region (TRHR) supplies the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lantsang rivers, and its ecological environment is fragile, hence it is important to study the surface vegetation cover status of the TRHR to facilitate its ecological conservation. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can reflect the cover status of surface vegetation. The aims of this study are to quantify the spatial heterogeneity of the NDVI, identify the main driving factors influencing the NDVI, and explore the interaction between these factors. To this end, we used the global inventory modeling and mapping studies (GIMMS)-NDVI data from the TRHR from 1982 to 2015 and included eight natural factors (namely slope, aspect, elevation, soil type, vegetation type, landform type, annual mean temperature, and annual precipitation) and three anthropogenic factors (gross domestic product (GDP), population density, and land use type), which we subjected to linear regression analysis, the Mann-Kendall statistical test, and moving t-test to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of the NDVI in the TRHR over 34 years, using a geographical detector model. Our results showed that the NDVI distribution of the TRHR was high in the southeast and low in the northwest. The change pattern exhibited an increasing trend in the west and north and a decreasing trend in the center and south; overall, the mean NDVI value from 1982 to 2015 has increased. Annual precipitation was the most important factor influencing the NDVI changes in the TRHR, and factors, such as annual mean temperature, vegetation type, and elevation, also explained the vegetation coverage status well. The influence of natural factors was generally stronger than that of anthropogenic factors. The NDVI factors had a synergistic effect, exhibiting mutual enhancement and nonlinear enhancement relationships. The results of this study provide insights into the ecological conservation of the TRHR and the ecological security and development of the middle and lower reaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the negative effect of classification bias caused by overfitting, semi-naive Bayesian techniques seek to mine the implicit dependency relationships in unlabeled testing instances. By redefining some criteria from information theory, Target Learning (TL) proposes to build for each unlabeled testing instance P the Bayesian Network Classifier BNC P , which is independent and complementary to BNC T learned from training data T. In this paper, we extend TL to Universal Target Learning (UTL) to identify redundant correlations between attribute values and maximize the bits encoded in the Bayesian network in terms of log likelihood. We take the k-dependence Bayesian classifier as an example to investigate the effect of UTL on BNC P and BNC T . Our extensive experimental results on 40 UCI datasets show that UTL can help BNC improve the generalization performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's coal mines have transitioned to deep mining, the ground stress within the coal seams has progressively increased, resulting in reduced permeability and poor wetting ability of conventional wetting agents. Consequently, these agents have become inadequate in fulfilling the requirements for preventing washouts during deep mining operations. In response to the aforementioned challenges, a solution was proposed to address the issues by formulating a composite wetting agent. This composite wetting agent combines a conventional surfactant with a chelating agent called tetrasodium iminodisuccinate (IDS). By conducting a meticulous screening of surfactant monomer solutions, the ideal formulation for the composite wetting agent was determined by combining the monomer surfactant with IDS. Extensive testing, encompassing evaluations of the composite solution's apparent strain, contact angle measurements, and alterations in the oxygenated functional groups on the coal surface, led to the identification of the optimal composition. This composition consisted of IDS serving as the chelating agent and fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (JFCS).Subsequent assessment of the physical and mechanical performance of the coal briquettes treated with the composite wetting agent revealed notable enhancements. These findings signify significant advancements in the field and hold promising implications. Following the application of the composite wetting agent, notable reductions were observed in the dry basis ash and dry basis full sulfur of coal. Additionally, the water content within the coal mass increased significantly, leading to a substantial enhancement in the wetting effect of the coal body. This enhanced wetting effect effectively mitigated the coal body's inclination towards impact, thereby offering technical support for optimizing water injection into coal seams and preventing as well as treating impact ground pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a persistent inflammatory condition triggered and exacerbated by several factors including lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction and macrophages infiltration. Nobiletin (NOB) has been reported to alleviate atherosclerosis; however, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Methods: This study involved comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, including multidatabase target prediction; GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for function and pathway exploration; DeepSite and AutoDock for drug binding site prediction; and CIBERSORT for immune cell involvement. In addition, target intervention was verified via cell scratch assays, oil red O staining, ELISA, flow cytometry, qRT‒PCR and Western blotting. In addition, by establishing a mouse model of AS, it was demonstrated that NOB attenuated lipid accumulation and the extent of atherosclerotic lesions. Results: (1) Altogether, 141 potentially targetable genes were identified through which NOB could intervene in atherosclerosis. (2) Lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis may be the dominant pathways and potential mechanisms. (3) ALB, AKT1, CASP3 and 7 other genes were identified as the top 10 target genes. (4) Six genes, including PPARG, MMP9, SRC and 3 other genes, were related to the M0 fraction. (5) CD36 and PPARG were upregulated in atherosclerosis samples compared to the normal control. (6) By inhibiting lipid uptake in RAW264.7 cells, NOB prevents the formation of foam cell. (7) In RAW264.7 cells, the inhibitory effect of oxidized low-density lipoprotein on foam cells formation and lipid accumulation was closely associated with the PPARG signaling pathway. (8) In vivo validation showed that NOB significantly attenuated intra-arterial lipid accumulation and macrophage infiltration and reduced CD36 expression. Conclusions: Nobiletin alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid uptake via the PPARG/CD36 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a persistent inflammatory condition triggered and exacerbated by several factors including lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction and macrophages infiltration. Nobiletin (NOB) has been reported to alleviate atherosclerosis; however, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood. Methods: This study involved comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, including multidatabase target prediction; GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for function and pathway exploration; DeepSite and AutoDock for drug binding site prediction; and CIBERSORT for immune cell involvement. In addition, target intervention was verified via cell scratch assays, oil red O staining, ELISA, flow cytometry, qRT‒PCR and Western blotting. In addition, by establishing a mouse model of AS, it was demonstrated that NOB attenuated lipid accumulation and the extent of atherosclerotic lesions. Results: (1) Altogether, 141 potentially targetable genes were identified through which NOB could intervene in atherosclerosis. (2) Lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis may be the dominant pathways and potential mechanisms. (3) ALB, AKT1, CASP3 and 7 other genes were identified as the top 10 target genes. (4) Six genes, including PPARG, MMP9, SRC and 3 other genes, were related to the M0 fraction. (5) CD36 and PPARG were upregulated in atherosclerosis samples compared to the normal control. (6) By inhibiting lipid uptake in RAW264.7 cells, NOB prevents the formation of foam cell. (7) In RAW264.7 cells, the inhibitory effect of oxidized low-density lipoprotein on foam cells formation and lipid accumulation was closely associated with the PPARG signaling pathway. (8) In vivo validation showed that NOB significantly attenuated intra-arterial lipid accumulation and macrophage infiltration and reduced CD36 expression. Conclusions: Nobiletin alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid uptake via the PPARG/CD36 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells are characterized by genomic instability, resulting in the accumulation of mutations that promote cancer progression. One way that genomic instability can arise is through improper regulation of the microtubule cytoskeleton that impacts the function of the mitotic spindle. In this study, we have identified a critical role for the interaction between apoptosislinked gene 2 (ALG-2) and heme-binding protein 2 (HEBP2) in the above processes. Our data show that the gene copy numbers andmRNA levels for both ALG-2 and HEBP2 are significantly upregulated in breast and lung cancer. Coexpression of ALG-2 and HEBP2 markedly increases the cytoplasmic pool of ALG-2 and alters the subcellular distribution of HEBP2. Our data further reveal that abnormality in the ALG-2/HEBP2 interaction impairs spindle orientation and positioning during mitosis. In addition, this complex appears to modulate the dynamic properties of microtubules in cancer cells. These finding thus uncover an important function for deregulated ALG-2/HEBP2 axis in cancer development by influencing microtubule dynamics and spindle behavior, providing novel insight into the etiology and pathogenesis of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cell-surface receptor for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). While its central role in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis is indisputable, there remains significant debate regarding the role of this transmembrane carboxypeptidase in the disease course. These include the role of soluble versus membrane-bound ACE2, as well as ACE2-independent mechanisms that may contribute to viral spread. Testing these roles requires in vivo models. Here, we report humanized ACE2-floxed mice in which hACE2 is expressed from the mouse Ace2 locus in a manner that confers lethal disease and permits cell-specific, Cre-mediated loss of function, and LSL-hACE2 mice in which hACE2 is expressed from the Rosa26 locus enabling cell-specific, Cre-mediated gain of function. Following exposure to SARS-CoV-2, hACE2-floxed mice experienced lethal cachexia, pulmonary infiltrates, intravascular thrombosis and hypoxemia—hallmarks of severe COVID-19. Cre-mediated loss and gain of hACE2 demonstrate that neuronal infection confers lethal cachexia, hypoxemia, and respiratory failure in the absence of lung epithelial infection. In this series of genetic experiments, we demonstrate that ACE2 is absolutely and cell-autonomously required for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the olfactory epithelium, brain, and lung across diverse cell types. Therapies inhibiting or blocking ACE2 at these different sites are likely to be an effective strategy towards preventing severe COVID-19. New mouse genetic models with a humanized ACE2 locus enable cellular dissection of COVID-19 pathogenesis mechanisms in vivo, revealing the absolute and cell-autonomous requirement of ACE2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the olfactory epithelium, brain and lung across diverse cell types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone H2B is a member of the core histones, which together with other histones form the nucleosome, the basic structural unit of chromosomes. As scientists delve deeper into histones, researchers gradually realize that histone H2B is not only an important part of nucleosomes, but also plays a momentous role in regulating gene transcription, acting as a receptor and antimicrobial action outside the nucleus. There are a variety of epigenetically modified sites in the H2B tail rich in arginine and lysine, which can occur in ubiquitination, phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation, etc. When stimulated by foreign factors such as bacteria, viruses or parasites, histone H2B can act as a receptor for the recognition of these pathogens, and induce an intrinsic immune response to enhance host defense. In addition, the extrachromosomal histone H2B is also an important anti-microorganism agent, which may be the key to the development of antibiotics in the future. This review aims to summarize the interaction between histone H2B and etiological agents and explore the role of H2B in epigenetic modifications, receptors and antimicrobial activity. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology have unique advantages of rapid, simple, and highly sensitive in the detection of serum, it can be used for the detection of liver cancer. However, some protein biomarkers in body fluids are often present at ultra-low concentrations and severely interfered with by the high-abundance proteins (HAPs), which will affect the detection of specificity and accuracy in cancer screening based on the SERS immunoassay. Clearly, there is a need for an unlabeled SERS method based on low abundance proteins, which is rapid, noninvasive, and capable of high precision detection and screening of liver cancer. Serum samples were collected from 60 patients with liver cancer (27 patients with stage T1 and T2 liver cancer, 33 patients with stage T3 and T4 liver cancer) and 40 healthy volunteers. Herein, immunoglobulin and albumin were separated by immune sorption and Cohn ethanol fractionation. Then, the low abundance protein (LAPs) was enriched, and high-quality SERS spectral signals were detected and obtained. Finally, combined with the principal component analysis-linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) algorithm, the SERS spectrum of early liver cancer (T1-T2) and advanced liver cancer (T3-T4) could be well distinguished from normal people, and the accuracy rate was 98.5% and 100%, respectively. Moreover, SERS technology based on serum LAPs extraction combined with the partial least square-support vector machine (PLS-SVM) successfully realized the classification and prediction of normal volunteers and liver cancer patients with different tumor (T) stages, and the diagnostic accuracy of PLS-SVM reached 87.5% in the unknown testing set. The experimental results show that the serum LAPs SERS detection combined with multivariate statistical algorithms can be used for effectively distinguishing liver cancer patients from healthy volunteers, and even achieved the screening of early liver cancer with high accuracy (T1 and T2 stage). These results showed that serum LAPs SERS detection combined with a multivariate statistical diagnostic algorithm has certain application potential in early cancer screening. In this study, we explored a new method utilizing low abundance proteins in serum combined with SERS technology to detect different stages of cancer. The results showed that high quality SERS spectrum could be obtained using LAPs mixed with Ag-NPs compared with untreated serum detection. More surprisingly, low abundance protein assays performed well in terms of specificity, reliability, and quantitative analysis. In addition, based on LAPs and PCA-LDA diagnostic models, SERS profiles for early and late cancers could be effectively distinguished from healthy volunteers with an accuracy of 98.5% and 100%, respectively. [Display omitted] • Compared with untreated serum detection, mixing LAPs with Ag NPs can obtain high-quality SERS spectra. • The LAPs extraction method has good reproducibility and consistency in the detection process. • The accuracy of using LAPs to screen for early and late cancer was 98.5% and 100%, respectively, compared to the SERS spectrum of healthy volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality rate of critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is 30.9% to 46.1%. The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has become a global issue with raising dire concerns. Patients with severe Covid-19 may progress toward ARDS. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord, adipose tissue and so on. The easy accessibility and low immunogenicity enable MSCs for allogeneic administration, and thus they were widely used in animal and clinical studies. Accumulating evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cell infusion can ameliorate ARDS. However, the underlying mechanisms of MSCs need to be discussed. Recent studies showed MSCs can modulate immune/inflammatory cells, attenuate endoplasmic reticulum stress, and inhibit pulmonary fibrosis. The paracrine cytokines and exosomes may account for these beneficial effects. In this review, we summarize the therapeutic mechanisms of MSCs in ARDS, analyzed the most recent animal experiments and Covid-19 clinical trial results, discussed the adverse effects and prospects in the recent studies, and highlight the potential roles of MSC therapy for Covid-19 patients with ARDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most of the studies assessing the corrective posterior total hip arthroplasty (THA) mainly focused on the mini-incision approach. Studies exploring the short external rotator sparing approach are rare. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of standard posterior approach and short external rotator sparing approach. Methods: This prospective observational study included 126 patients who underwent THA in June 2017–June 2018. Patients were assigned to standard (standard posterior approach) and corrective (short external rotator sparing approach) groups based on the surgical method. Surgical data were recorded postoperatively. Postoperative hip joint recovery was assessed using the times to ambulation and independent stair use, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, Harris score, and Oxford hip score (OHS) at 2 and 8 postoperative weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used for postoperative pain assessment. Results: Postoperative changes of creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin, CRP, and prosthesis position were similar in both groups (P > 0.05). However, intraoperative blood loss (P < 0.001) and postoperative 6-h drainage volume (P = 0.03), hospital stay, blood transfusion rate, and times to ambulation and independent stair use were significantly reduced in the corrective group. Postoperatively, Oxford, and WOMAC scores significantly decreased in both groups. After surgery, the VAS score was more overtly decreased in the corrective group compared with the standard group. Conclusions: This study concluded that the less invasive short external rotator sparing approach for THA caused less damage, reducing perioperative blood loss, shortening functional recovery time, maintaining prosthesis stability, and improving postoperative pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The classification of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System 4A (BI-RADS 4A) lesions is mostly based on the personal experience of doctors and lacks specific and clear classification standards. The development of artificial intelligence (AI) provides a new method for BI-RADS categorisation. We analysed the ultrasonic morphological and texture characteristics of BI-RADS 4A benign and malignant lesions using AI, and these ultrasonic characteristics of BI-RADS 4A benign and malignant lesions were compared to examine the value of AI in the differential diagnosis of BI-RADS 4A benign and malignant lesions.Methods: A total of 206 lesions of BI-RADS 4A examined using ultrasonography were analysed retrospectively, including 174 benign lesions and 32 malignant lesions. All of the lesions were contoured manually, and the ultrasonic morphological and texture features of the lesions, such as circularity, height-to-width ratio, margin spicules, margin coarseness, margin indistinctness, margin lobulation, energy, entropy, grey mean, internal calcification and angle between the long axis of the lesion and skin, were calculated using grey level gradient co-occurrence matrix analysis. Differences between benign and malignant lesions of BI-RADS 4A were analysed.Results: Significant differences in margin lobulation, entropy, internal calcification and ALS were noted between the benign group and malignant group (P = 0.013, 0.045, 0.045, and 0.002, respectively). The malignant group had more margin lobulations and lower entropy compared with the benign group, and the benign group had more internal calcifications and a greater angle between the long axis of the lesion and skin compared with the malignant group. No significant differences in circularity, height-to-width ratio, margin spicules, margin coarseness, margin indistinctness, energy, and grey mean were noted between benign and malignant lesions.Conclusions: Compared with the naked eye, AI can reveal more subtle differences between benign and malignant BI-RADS 4A lesions. These results remind us carefully observation of the margin and the internal echo is of great significance. With the help of morphological and texture information provided by AI, doctors can make a more accurate judgment on such atypical benign and malignant lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA helicase DDX21 plays vital roles in ribosomal RNA biogenesis, transcription, and the regulation of host innate immunity during virus infection. How DDX21 recognizes and unwinds RNA and how DDX21 interacts with virus remain poorly understood. Here, crystal structures of human DDX21 determined in three distinct states are reported, including the apo‐state, the AMPPNP plus single‐stranded RNA (ssRNA) bound pre‐hydrolysis state, and the ADP‐bound post‐hydrolysis state, revealing an open to closed conformational change upon RNA binding and unwinding. The core of the RNA unwinding machinery of DDX21 includes one wedge helix, one sensor motif V and the DEVD box, which links the binding pockets of ATP and ssRNA. The mutant D339H/E340G dramatically increases RNA binding activity. Moreover, Hill coefficient analysis reveals that DDX21 unwinds double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) in a cooperative manner. Besides, the nonstructural (NS1) protein of influenza A inhibits the ATPase and unwinding activity of DDX21 via small RNAs, which cooperatively assemble with DDX21 and NS1. The structures illustrate the dynamic process of ATP hydrolysis and RNA unwinding for RNA helicases, and the RNA modulated interaction between NS1 and DDX21 generates a fresh perspective toward the virus–host interface. It would benefit in developing therapeutics to combat the influenza virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accurately detect the full Stokes parameters of atmospheric aerosol, a Stokes parameters measurement system is designed by symmetric division of amplitude with double quarter-wave plate in this paper. The system adopts light normal incidence, amplitude symmetric dividing and two quarter-wave plates fixed at 45°. The design makes the structure of the system optical path simple. The polarization effect and intensity loss of the optical path is low. The system is calibrated using eight-point method. The results of experimental show that the system matrix A is more accurate after eight-point calibration, and the total RMS (Root-Mean-Square) deviation of Stokes parameters is reduced by 57.8% and 43.3% compared with four-point and six-point calibration method, respectively. This shows that the system can accurately measure the full Stokes parameters of any incident light in real time. We used this system to measure and invert the full Stokes parameters of dust aerosol particles using six different concentrations. The backscattering matrix of dust aerosol was inverted using its Stokes parameters. It was found that the Stokes parameters of the same dust aerosol particles varied with concentration. The elements values of the backscattering matrix F 22 / F 11 , F 33 / F 11 and F 44 / F 11 almost unchanged with concentration. This system can measure the full Stokes parameters of aerosols accurately. It can be used to study the polarization characteristics and microphysical properties of the atmospheric aerosols. It also has a good practical guiding significance for the remote sensing of atmospheric aerosols. • A Stokes parameters measurement system is designed by symmetric division of amplitude with double quarter-wave plate. • The system can effectively reduce the polarization effect and intensity loss of the optical system. • The eight-point calibration method is used to calibrate and verify the performance of the system. The calibration experiment results show that the system matrix A is more accurate. • The full Stokes parameters of dust aerosol particles were measured using this system. The backscattering matrix of dust aerosol particles was also inverted using this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new method to invert the complex refraction index (CRI) and particle morphology of non-spherical aerosols based on the full Stokes parameters of non-spherical aerosols is proposed. • The method has fewer limitations, and does not need to assume a function to describe the aerosol size distribution. It can invert the CRI and particle morphology for unknown non-spherical aerosol particles accurately. • A new Stokes parameters measurement system for non-spherical aerosol particles is designed. The full Stokes parameters and backscattering matrix of dust aerosols particles are measured and inverted. • The light scattering parameters calculated by the full Stokes parameters can be used for fine classification of particles of different morphology. The complex refraction index (CRI) and particle morphology of aerosols are the most important microphysical parameters of aerosols. They are related to the light scattering parameters of aerosols closely. However, the variation of polarization state of light scattering parameters of non-spherical particles is very sensitive to the CRI and particle morphology. In order to accurately obtain the CRI and particle morphology of non-spherical aerosols, a new method of inversion the CRI and particle morphology for non-spherical aerosols using the full Stokes parameters of non-spherical aerosols is proposed. In this paper, a new Stokes parameters measurement system for non-spherical aerosol is designed. The backscattering (180°) full Stokes parameters of the typical non-spherical aerosol (dust aerosol particle population) are measured. The CRI value of dust aerosols estimated using this method is consistent with those of the references. The feasibility of our retrieval method is confirmed. In this paper, the relationship between the dust aerosol CRI and the change of particle size during the dust settling process is investigated. The results show that the average CRI of dust aerosol does not vary with the particle size distribution in settling process. At the same time, the linear depolarization ratio and the ellipticity of backscattered polarized light of the dust aerosol particles are calculated using the full Stokes parameters. It is found that the non-spherical aerosol linear depolarization ratio and the ellipticity of backscattering polarized light are very sensitive to particle morphology. They can be used for fine classification of particles of different morphology in the dust aerosol particle population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty liver syndrome (FLS) is a kind of nutritional metabolic disease in laying hens. Revealing FLS pathogenesis during the early period is what really makes sense for the prevention or nutritional regulation strategies. In the study, 9 healthy or naturally occurring early FLS birds were screened based on visual inspection, liver index and morphologic analysis. Liver and fresh cecal content samples were collected. Then transcriptomic and 16S rRNA technologies are applied to investigate hepatic transcriptome and cecum microbiota composition. Unpaired Student t test and some omics methods were used for statistical analysis. Results showed higher liver weight and index were found in FLS group; morphologic analysis indicated that there existed more lipid droplets in the liver of birds with FLS. Based on DESeq2 analysis, there were 229 up- and 487 down-regulated genes in the FLS group, among which most genes related to de novo fatty acid synthesis were up-regulated such as acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, stearoyl-CoA desaturase, and ELOVL fatty acid elongase 6 (ELOVL6). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis indicated that pathways associated with lipid metabolism and liver damage were affected. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of cecum microbiota showed that there was a significant difference between the Con and FLS groups. LEfSe analysis revealed that the relative abundance of Coprococcus, Odoribacter, Collinsella, Turicibacter, YRC22, Enterococcus, Shigella , and Bifidobacterium were down-regulated in the FLS group, whereas the abundance of Bacteroides, Mucispirillum, Butyricicoccus, Campylobacter, Akkermansia , and Clostridium were up-regulated. The KEGG enrichment from differential microbiota suggested that some metabolism-related functions were altered to some extent. Taken together, during the developmental of early fatty liver of laying hens, lipogenesis was enhanced, whereas abnormal metabolism occurs not only in lipid transportation but also in hydrolysis, which caused structural damage to the liver organ. Moreover, the dysbiosis of the cecum microbiota occurred. All of these serve as targets or provide theoretical references for the development of probiotics for fatty liver prevention in laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological security and efficient utilization of resources in the water-land-energy-food (WLEF) nexus are important strategic needs. Therefore, this study developed an emergy ecological footprint using the super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure-Data Envelopment Analysis (SBM-DEA) to comprehensively evaluate the ecological security and efficiency of the WLEF nexus from 2006 to 2019 in the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain in Northeast China. Our findings indicated that: 1) Ecological security had improved from 2006 to 2019, with an average ecological carrying capacity supply and demand balance index of 3.301 and 2.723 in 2006 and 2019, respectively. 2) The average concordant index in the Songnen Plain and Sanjiang Plain was 1.258 and 1.358 respectively, indicating that the Sanjiang Plain had better ecological security than the Songnen Plain. 3) The efficiency of the water and energy subsystems demonstrated an increasing trend over time, with the overall land subsystem increasing before 2016 but decreasing afterwards. 4) The efficiency of the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain's water, land, energy, and food subsystems varied greatly on temporal and spatial scales. The water efficiency in the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain was higher in the middle and low all around. 5) From 2006 to 2019, the WLEF nexus efficiency in the Sanjiang Plain was higher than in the Songnen Plain, and in 2019, the WLEF nexus efficiency in 50% of the cities did not reach the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain production frontier. Therefore, to achieve regional sustainable development, additional efforts are required to ameliorate the ecological conditions of the middle part of the Songnen Plain and improve the resource utilization efficiency of each subsystem, especially the water resources of the WLEF nexus. • Proposal the framework of water-land-energy-food (WLEF) nexus in an important agro-ecological region of Northeast China • Integrated emergy ecological footprint and data envelopment analysis is carried out for regional sustainable development • From 2006 to 2019, the ecological security has improved in Songnen-Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China • The efficiency of WLEF nexus has advanced from 0.936 in 2006 to 1.112 in 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological security and efficient utilization of resources in the water-land-energy-food (WLEF) nexus are important strategic needs. Therefore, this study developed an emergy ecological footprint using the super-efficiency Slacks-Based Measure-Data Envelopment Analysis (SBM-DEA) to comprehensively evaluate the ecological security and efficiency of the WLEF nexus from 2006 to 2019 in the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain in Northeast China. Our findings indicated that: 1) Ecological security had improved from 2006 to 2019, with an average ecological carrying capacity supply and demand balance index of 3.301 and 2.723 in 2006 and 2019, respectively. 2) The average concordant index in the Songnen Plain and Sanjiang Plain was 1.258 and 1.358 respectively, indicating that the Sanjiang Plain had better ecological security than the Songnen Plain. 3) The efficiency of the water and energy subsystems demonstrated an increasing trend over time, with the overall land subsystem increasing before 2016 but decreasing afterwards. 4) The efficiency of the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain's water, land, energy, and food subsystems varied greatly on temporal and spatial scales. The water efficiency in the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain was higher in the middle and low all around. 5) From 2006 to 2019, the WLEF nexus efficiency in the Sanjiang Plain was higher than in the Songnen Plain, and in 2019, the WLEF nexus efficiency in 50% of the cities did not reach the Songnen-Sanjiang Plain production frontier. Therefore, to achieve regional sustainable development, additional efforts are required to ameliorate the ecological conditions of the middle part of the Songnen Plain and improve the resource utilization efficiency of each subsystem, especially the water resources of the WLEF nexus. • Proposal the framework of water-land-energy-food (WLEF) nexus in an important agro-ecological region of Northeast China • Integrated emergy ecological footprint and data envelopment analysis is carried out for regional sustainable development • From 2006 to 2019, the ecological security has improved in Songnen-Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China • The efficiency of WLEF nexus has advanced from 0.936 in 2006 to 1.112 in 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromatin-remodeling enzyme CHD4 maintains vascular integrity at mid-gestation; however, it is unknown whether this enzyme contributes to later blood vessel or lymphatic vessel development. Here, we addressed this issue in mice harboring a deletion of Chd4 specifically in cells that express lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE1), which include lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. Chd4 mutant embryos died before birth and exhibited severe edema, blood-filled lymphatics, and liver hemorrhage. CHD4-deficient embryos developed normal lymphovenous (LV) valves, which regulate the return of lymph to the blood circulation; however, these valves lacked the fibrin-rich thrombi that prevent blood from entering the lymphatic system. Transcripts of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), which facilitates activation of the fibrin-degrading protease plasmin, were upregulated in Chd4 mutant LYVE1+ cells, and plasmin activity was elevated near the LV valves. Genetic reduction of the uPAR ligand urokinase prevented degradation of fibrin-rich thrombi at the LV valves and largely resolved the blood-filled lymphatics in Chd4 mutants. Urokinase reduction also ameliorated liver hemorrhage and prolonged embryonic survival by reducing plasmin-mediated extracellular matrix degradation around sinusoidal blood vessels. These results highlight the susceptibility of LV thrombi and liver sinusoidal vessels to plasmin-mediated damage and demonstrate the importance of CHD4 in regulating embryonic plasmin activation after mid-gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spatiotemporal variation in vegetation on the Loess Plateau was investigated. • Precipitation was the greatest driving factor. • There was a bivariate or nonlinear enhancement between all factors. • Key factors' adaptation range or type suitable for vegetation cover was identified. Vegetation, being a core component of ecosystems, is known to be influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors. Studying vegetation cover dynamics variation and its drivers is critical to understanding the interactions between vegetation and ecosystems. The Loess Plateau (LP) is located in a semi-arid and semi-humid region with severe soil erosion and fragile ecology. This paper used the annual maximum Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI ymax) and growing season mean NDVI (NDVI gsmean) as the vegetation cover indicator. The vegetation cover variation of LP from 2000 to 2020 was analyzed using Sen's slope and Mann-Kendall test. Then the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors on the driving mechanisms of spatial vegetation differentiation was explored by the Geodetector model. The results revealed that the growth trends of NDVI ymax and NDVI gsmean were 0.075/10 years and 0.038/10 years, respectively, and the areas with improved vegetation cover accounted for 92.67 % and 88.58 % of the total area. The vegetation cover of the southeastern and northern parts of the LP decreased significantly; however, the central, southwestern, and northeastern parts exhibited a remarkable improvement. Precipitation, vegetation type, soil type, temperature, and land use type were the key driving forces, ranked differently on NDVI ymax and NDVI gsmean. However, precipitation was the most critical factor both on NDVI ymax and NDVI gsmean. The interaction detection showed non-linear and mutual enhancement, with no independent factor. The findings of our study can assist in identifying the vegetation cover status of the LP, as well as the driving forces, which can provide theoretical support for the formulation of environmental conservation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aid of good biocompatibility and stability with hydroxyapatite (HAp) in protein separation and adsorption fields, we developed a novel extraction-isolation albumin analysis method by relying on the specific adsorption capacity of HAp, combining with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for prostate cancer screening. Two different nanostructures of HAp particles, including the HAp flower and HAp sphere, were synthesized with a hydrothermal method, and the targeted binding and extraction abilities of serum albumin of these two HAp particles were compared. By changing the morphology of the nanostructure, the albumin-adsorption capacity of HAp varied significantly. Compared with spherical HAp particles, HAp flower particles have more albumin binding sites per unit area. Thus, the HAp flower displayed the superior capacity for adsorption-release of albumin, which was further employed for clinical prostate cancer screening. Based on the superior adsorption-extraction ability of albumin of HAp flower, serum albumin was adsorbed and extracted by HAp flower from serum samples of prostate cancer patients (n = 30) and healthy volunteers (n = 30), and mixed with silver colloids to perform SERS spectral analysis. The partial least square-support vector machines (PLS-SVM) model is used to analyze the obtained serum albumin SERS spectra and establish the diagnostic model, the diagnostic accuracy was up to 95.00% for differentiating the normal volunteer from prostate patient groups. The results demonstrate that the PLS-SVM model provides superior performance in the classification of a prostate cancer diagnosis. Due to the advantages of simplicity and rapidness, the HAp flower-adsorbed-released albumin combined with SERS was expected to become a promising tool for prostate cancer detection. In this study, we developed a novel serum albumin detection method by using tunable HAp nanoparticles-assisted SERS technology for prostate cancer detection. The results indicated that the HAp flower displayed a superior capacity for adsorption-release of albumin compared to that of the HAp sphere. More surprisingly, the HAp flower is of great performance for specificity, reliability, and quantitative analysis in albumin detection. In addition, based on the methodology of HAp flower-SERS and the PLS-SVM diagnostic model, the diagnostic accuracy was up to 95.00% for differentiating the albumin samples of healthy volunteers from prostate patients. [Display omitted] • We developed a novel serum albumin extraction approach by the utility of tunable HAp nanoparticles with specific protein adsorption capacity. • The HAp flower displayed a superior capacity for adsorption-release of albumin compared to the HAp sphere. • Based on the PLS-SVM diagnostic algorithm, an ideal diagnostic accuracy of 95.00% could be achieved using the HAp-assisted SERS method for prostate cancer screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most prevalent types of upper gastrointestinal malignancies. This work aimed to identify potential biomarkers for early screening for ESCC and characterize the systemic metabolic disturbances underlying ESCC using multi-platform metabolomics analysis. We divided 239 patients (the early-stage ESCC patients, n = 132; Healthy controls, n = 107) into discovery and validation sets after matching age and sex. Integrated statistical and multi-platform serum metabolomics analyses were used to screen and validate significant metabolites linked to ESCC patients. Multi-platform metabolomics analyses showed that amino acid and lipid metabolism were crucial in the etiology of ESCC. Five metabolites, tryptophan (Trp), citrulline, l -carnitine, lysine, and acetyl-carnitine, were selected as potential biomarkers to establish a diagnosis panel, which showed high accuracy in distinguishing ESCC patients from healthy controls (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.873, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.825–0.925). This work laid the groundwork for understanding the etiology of ESCC. The diagnostic panel showed potential usefulness in early-stage ESCC diagnosis in clinical practice. [Display omitted] • Multi-platform metabolomics revealed four pathways are disturbed in ESCC patients. • The performance of diagnostic model constructed by five metabolites was more accuracy than that of traditional indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a simple and rapid serum proteins analysis method combined with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy technology for breast cancer detection. In addition, coupled with an advanced multivariate analysis algorithm of PLS-SVM on the SERS data, a better differential diagnosis between breast cancer and the normal group was obtained, achieving high diagnostic accuracy of 94.67%. The results demonstrate that the PLS-SVM model provides superior performance in the classification of breast cancer diagnosis compared with PCA-LDA. [Display omitted] • Cellulose acetate membrane-based SERS method was employed to fast purify and analyze proteins from serum. • The optimization of SERS substrate to generate stronger SERS signal for serum proteins detection. • The advanced analysis algorithm of PLS-SVM was achieved high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Serum protein is generally used to assess the severity of disease, as well as cancer progression and prognosis. Herein, a simple and rapid serum proteins analysis method combined with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technology was applied for breast cancer detection. The cellulose acetate membrane (CA) was employed to extract human serum proteins from 30 breast cancer patients and 45 healthy volunteers and then extracted proteins were mixed with silver nanoparticles for SERS measurement. Additionally, we also mainly assessed the use of different ratios of proteins-silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) mixture to generate maximum SERS signal for clinical samples detection. Two multivariate statistical analyses, principal component analysis-linear discriminate analysis (PCA-LDA) and partial least square-support vector machines (PLS-SVM) were used to analyze the obtained serum protein SERS spectra and establish the diagnostic model. The results demonstrate that the PLS-SVM model provides superior performance in the classification of breast cancer diagnosis compared with PCA-LDA. This exploratory work demonstrates that the label-free SERS analysis technique combined with CA membrane purified serum proteins has great potential for breast cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The centrosome is a special organelle in human cells and an organizing unit for microtubules and signaling molecules. In addition, the centrosome is tightly restricted during the cell cycle and forms the basal body of the cilia in ciliated cells. Centrosome abnormality is frequently observed in malignant tumors. The dysregulation of centrosome-associated proteins leads to multipolar mitosis, aneuploidy, and nondirected cell migration, and therefore promotes cancer progression. The overduplication of primary centrosome and the accumulation of chromosome, comprise the majority cause of chromosomal mis-segregation in cancer cells. This review discusses the structure and function of the centrosome and the role of its associated proteins in the progression of solid tumors. We summarized the effects of centrosome amplification abnormalities and other centrosome-related phenotypes on tumors. The mechanism of the delineation of centrosome amplification with tumor malignancy remains to be decided. A better understanding of centrosome abnormality in tumorigenesis may be useful to screen novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of solid tumors. [Display omitted] • Centrosomes perform multiple functions in different cellular processes. • Centrosome abnormality are common in solid tumors. • Centrosome-associated regulators play critical roles in solid tumor progression. • Targeting tumor cells with extra centrosomes are novel therapeutics for solid tumor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rising temperature accelerated the mineralization of SOC in permafrost peatlands. • Q 10 of SOC mineralization ranged from 2.24 to 4.22 among 7 permafrost peatlands. • SOC mineralization positively correlated with soil DOC, NH 4 +-N, NO 3 −-N contents. • Substrate availability and microbe drive SOC mineralization in permafrost peatlands. Permafrost peatlands are important pools of soil carbon. Soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization and its temperature sensitivity in permafrost peatlands are crucial for predictions of soil carbon-climate feedback. However, little is known about the changes in SOC mineralization and its mechanism in response to environmental change in the permafrost peatlands of Northeastern China. We collected seven permafrost peatland soils from Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains in Northeastern China to investigate how the responses of microbes and labile substrates control the mineralization of SOC in the laboratory incubation study. The results show that temperature and sampling sites affected the mineralization of SOC. Elevated temperatures significantly increased the rate of carbon mineralization across the peatland soils. The mean sensitivity of SOC mineralization to temperature (Q 10 value) was 2.96. The increase in substrate availability and microbial abundance in parallel with the increase in temperature is responsible for the high rates of decomposition of the organic carbon pools. We found that the mineralization of soil carbon positively correlated with the concentrations of soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), NH 4 +-N, NO 3 −-N, as well as the abundances of bacteria, fungi, methanotrophs and nir K denitrifiers. Moreover, the content of DOC positively correlated with the abundances of soil bacteria, methanotrophs and nir K denitrifiers, indicating that the influences of soil microbial abundances on carbon mineralization were strongly mediated by the availability of carbon substrates. Our findings provide novel insights into the effects of increasing temperatures on the relationship between microbial communities and labile substrates and their roles in carbon decomposition in permafrost peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]