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Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, enabling tumor cells to meet the high energy and biosynthetic demands required for their proliferation. High mobility group A1 (HMGA1) is a structural transcription factor and frequently overexpressed in human colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we show that HMGA1 promotes CRC progression by driving lipid synthesis in a AOM/DSS-induced CRC mouse model. Using conditional knockout (Hmga1△IEC) and knock-in (Hmga1IEC-OE/+) mouse models, we demonstrate that HMGA1 enhances CRC cell proliferation and accelerates tumor development by upregulating fatty acid synthase (FASN). Mechanistically, HMGA1 increases the transcriptional activity of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) on the FASN promoter, leading to increased lipid accumulation in intestinal epithelial cells. Moreover, a high-fat diet exacerbates CRC progression in Hmga1△IEC mice, while pharmacological inhibition of FASN by orlistat reduces tumor growth in Hmga1IEC-OE/+ mice. Our findings suggest that targeting lipid metabolism could offer a promising therapeutic strategy for CRC. Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for cancer progression. Here, the authors show that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) promotes colorectal cancer (CRC) in a AOM/DSS-induced mouse model, by enhancing lipid synthesis via upregulation of fatty acid synthase (FASN), and inhibiting FASN reduces tumor growth, suggesting potential therapeutic avenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the output feedback control (OFC) issue for fuzzy Markov jump systems with actuator faults and deception attacks. To describe the nonlinear characteristics, the Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy rule scheme is utilized. A general network environment with deception attacks is considered, and Bernoulli distributed variable is adopted to describe the randomly occurring attacks. To alleviate the actuator faults and attacks in the networked data transmission, a new reliable OFC protocol is forwarded to ensure the prescribed system performance. Meanwhile, a hidden Markov model is resorted to treat the nonsynchronous phenomena between system mode and controller mode. By a stochastic Lyapunov function, some criteria are proposed such that the closed-loop dynamic is stochastically stable. Finally, the effectiveness and application of the obtained results are confirmed by a physical mass-spring-damper model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing the complex coexistence of various metal ions in wastewater and mineral resources, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with diverse functionalities and tunable pores are poised to serve as distinctive solutions for efficiently recognizing and selectively separating radioactive thorium (Th(IV)). Herein, a fluorescent MOF (DBT‐DHTA‐Cd) with unique thorium nanocavity traps is rationally designed by using two rigid ligands, including azole and hydroxyl groups, respectively. Notably, the synergistic effect of the appropriate pore size and dense hydroxyl···N nanocavity traps in DBT‐DHTA‐Cd results in selective capture of Th(IV), arising from the high charge density of nano‐trap and extremely low binding energy (Eads = −602.7 KJ mol−1). The fast adsorption kinetics (30 min) and rapid fluorescence response (1 min) of DBT‐DHTA‐Cd toward Th(IV) are attributed to the stronger electron holding capacity of the d and f orbitals belonged to Th(IV), making it more prone to accepting electrons transferred from the N/O active sites in the nano‐trap. As a verification test, tailing breakthrough experiments confirm that DBT‐DHTA‐Cd can efficiently purify Th(IV) from monazite mining solid waste in one step. This work provides profound insights into relationship between structure and property of MOFs and has valuable guidance for designing materials in the radioactive purification field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Boju' and 'Huaiju' are cultivars of the Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) in the family Asteraceae, valued for their medicinal, tea, and ornamental properties, and valued by individuals. However, the yield and quality of medicinal chrysanthemums are limited by the characteristics of the germplasm resources, including the identification at the varieties and cultivation levels. Currently, research characterizing the chloroplast genomes of medicinal Chrysanthemum flowers is relatively limited. This study conducted chloroplast whole-genome sequencing on two cultivars of Chrysanthemum, 'Boju' and 'Huaiju', and compared them with the previously published chloroplast genomes of 'Hangbaiju' and 'Gongju'. The study analyzed the chloroplast genome structures of these four medicinal Chrysanthemums, identifying mutation hotspots and clarifying their phylogenetic relationships. The chloroplast genome sizes of four medicinal Chrysanthemum cultivation products ranged from 151,057 to 151,109 bp, with GC content ranging from 37.45% to 37.76%. A total of 134 genes were identified, including 89 protein-coding genes, 37 ribosomal RNA genes, and 8 transfer RNA genes. Comparative genomic analysis revealed 159 large repeat sequences, 276 simple sequence repeats, 1 gene, and 8 intergenic regions identified as highly variable regions. Nucleotide diversity (Pi) values were high (≥ 0.004) for the petN-psbM, trnR-UCU-trnT-GGU, trnT-GGU-psbD, ndhC-trnV-UCA, ycf1, ndhI-ndhG, trnL-UGA-rpl32, rpl32-ndhF, and ndhF-ycf1 fragments, aiding in variety identification. Phylogenetic analysis revealed consistent results between maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference trees, showing that the four medicinal Chrysanthemum cultivars, along with their wild counterparts and related species, evolved as a monophyletic group, forming a sister clade to Artemisia and Ajania. Among the six Chrysanthemum species, the wild Chrysanthemum diverged first (Posterior probability = 1, bootstrap = 1,000), followed by Ajania, while C. indicum and C. morifolium clustered together (Bootstrap = 100), indicating their closest genetic relationship. The chloroplast whole-genome data and characteristic information provided in this study can be used for variety identification, genetic conservation, and phylogenetic analysis within the family Asteraceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid–liquid triboelectric nanogenerators (S–L TENGs) are extensively researched for their capability to harvest mechanical energy from natural sources. Nevertheless, some TENGs based on friction electrification and electrostatic induction are partially limited, and liquids exhibit slow separation speeds upon contact with solid interfaces, resulting in lower output currents and voltages. This limitation hinders their ability to satisfy real-world electricity demands. This study introduces a wave-driven closed polytetrafluoroethylene tube TENG (PT-TENG) and enhances the conventional tank car model by applying the principle of interface charge transfer. The improvements enable the output current and voltage to reach 900 μA and 150 V, respectively, with a power output of 17.74 mW. This represents a thirteen-fold increase over the traditional model's performance, effectively capturing the kinetic energy of water flow. The mechanism and influencing factors of the PT-TENG are analysed, including the effect of external conditions on the movement state of water flow within the device, to enhance PT-TENG's output. This novel S–L TENG efficiently gathers low-frequency energy, offering a straightforward manufacturing process and elevated output. It enhances charge transfer at the solid–liquid interface and offers a new strategy for harvesting ocean wave energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous hospitality research typically focuses on consumers' positive attitudes and intentions toward addressing an existing research gap in the literature on consumer attitude and behaviour in green hotel marketing. Those studies have frequently neglected to investigate the effects of negative attitudes and perspectives. This study aims to explore the relationships between seven indicators of perceived risk, familiarity, novelty, trust, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, and intention to visit green hotels. A total of 606 questionnaires were collected and analysed using structural equation modelling. Results showed that perceived risk negatively influences trust, subjective norm, and perceived behavioural control. Familiarity positively influences perceived risk but negatively influences attitude. Novelty negatively influences perceived risk and attitude, while trust positively influences attitude and intention. Subjective norm positively influences attitude, perceived behavioural control, and intention, and attitude influences intention. This study provides an alternative negative factor perspective on green hotel visitation using a theoretically driven approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We previously developed a nanobody targeting CTLA-4 and demonstrated that it can boost antitumour T-cell responses in vitro; however, the resulting responses after the injection of T cells into cancer models are usually weak and transient. Here, we explored whether fusing our nanobody to IL-12 would enable it to induce stronger, longer-lasting T-cell immune responses after exposure to immature dendritic cell and tumour cell fusions. Results: The fusion protein enhanced the response of CD8+ T cells to tumour antigens in vitro and led to stronger, more persistent immune responses after the T cells were injected into mice bearing different types of xenografts. Conclusion: Our in vitro and in vivo results suggest the anticancer potential of our nanobody-interleukin fusion system and support the clinical application of this fusion approach for various nanobodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) plays a crucial role in providing abundant bee products and in maintaining ecological balance. Despite the availability of the genomic sequence of the Asian honey bee, its transcriptomic information remains largely incomplete. To address this issue, here we constructed three pooled RNA samples from the queen, drone, and worker bees of A. cerana and performed full-length RNA sequencing using Nanopore single-molecule sequencing technology. Ultimately, we obtained 160,811 full-length transcript sequences from 19,859 genes, with 141,189 being novel transcripts, of which 130,367 were functionally annotated. We detected 520, 324, and 1823 specifically expressed transcripts in the queen, worker, and drone bees, respectively. Furthermore, we identified 38,799 alternative splicing (AS) events from 5710 genes, 44,243 alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites from 1649 gene loci, 88,187 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and 17,387 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Leveraging these transcripts as references, we identified 6672, 7795, and 6804 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in comparisons of queen ovaries vs drone testes, worker ovaries vs drone testes, and worker ovaries vs queen ovaries, respectively. Our research results provide a comprehensive set of reference transcript datasets for Apis cerana, offering important sequence information for further exploration of its gene functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypoxic microenvironment is a common feature of most solid tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation by tumor cells could provide blood supply to tumor cells under hypoxia. NFE2 like basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor 2 (Nrf2), a regulator of cellular homeostasis, may promote tumor progression in the hypoxic conditions. However, the role and regulatory mechanisms of Nrf2 in HCC are not fully elucidated. Methods: Nrf2 and assembly factor for spindle microtubules (ASPM) expression modulations were conducted by lentiviral transfections. Western blot, immunofluorescence, ChIP-qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, flow cytometry, RNA sequencing, multiple bioinformatics databases analysis, cell function assays in vitro, mouse model in vivo and human HCC tissues were employed to assess the effect of Nrf2/ASPM axis on HCC progression under hypoxia. Results: Nrf2 and ASPM expression facilitated epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs) feature, and VM formation of HCC cells under hypoxia. Furthermore, Nrf2-regulated ASPM expression, via binding directly to the promoter region of ASPM and transcriptionally promoting ASPM expression. ASPM re-expression in Nrf2 knockdown cells or ASPM knockdown in Nrf2 overexpression cells reversed the cellular function caused by Nrf2. Meantime, retinol metabolism pathway was disrupted following abnormal ASPM expression. Nrf2/ASPM axis in murine models accelerated tumor growth and VM, corroborating in vitro findings. All-trans retinoic acid treatment reversed stemness and VM of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, Nrf2 and ASPM expressions were related to poor prognosis of HCC patients. Conclusions: Nrf2 drives EMT, CSCs characteristics and VM in HCC under hypoxia through the modulation of ASPM. Retinol metabolism pathway was dysregulated in HCC cells with ASPM overexpression. Nrf2/ASPM axis and related pathway provided potential therapeutic target for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) represents the most widespread neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by a gradual onset and slow progression, presenting a substantial challenge to global public health. The mitochondrial-associated membrane (MAMs) functions as a crucial center for signal transduction and material transport between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, playing a pivotal role in various pathological mechanisms of AD. The dysregulation of mitochondrial quality control systems is considered a fundamental factor in the development of AD, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent neurodegenerative events. Recent studies have emphasized the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. This review will delve into the molecular mechanisms underlying the imbalance in mitochondrial quality control in AD and provide a comprehensive overview of the role of MAMs in regulating mitochondrial quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the prognostic factors and survival patterns based on the histological type for the perimenopausal endometrial carcinoma (PIPEC) patients treated with hysterectomy. Methods: The PIPEC patients were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Methods of random survival forest (RSF) and Cox regression were used to identify the possible prognostic factors of PIPEC patients. Then overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of PIPEC data were analyzed by histological types with regional lymph nodes status and SEER-stage to investigate the survival patterns of the PIPEC patients. Results: A total of 14,178 PIPEC patients were included in the study. We found tumor size, grade, histology, SEER-stage, AJCC-stage, AJCC-T stage, metastasis to distant organs and regional lymph nodes status had a significant survival outcome for PIPEC both for OS and CSS (all p < 0.05). Regardless of regional lymph nodes status and SEER-stage for OS and CSS, the low-grade endometrioid carcinoma had the best prognosis outcome, followed by the mix cell adenocarcinoma and high-grade endometrioid carcinoma, while the carcinosarcoma and undifferentiated carcinoma had relatively poor prognosis outcome. And the survival patterns of different histological types of PIPEC were diverse and changed along with the time. Conclusion: We identified the possible prognostic factors of PIPEC patients treated with hysterectomy. And survival analysis based on the regional lymph nodes status and SEER-stage revealed the different histological types of PIPEC had diverse survival patterns, which will be helpful for guiding clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disrupting the reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in cancer cells offered a therapeutic modality for anti-tumor treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of conventional chemodynamic therapy (CDT) was impaired by the insufficient H2O2 concentration in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we report the preparation of a multifunctional nanoplatform CaO2@PDA–Cu@MnCO with self-supplied H2O2 production and carbon monoxide (CO) delivery in the TME for efficient multimodal therapy. The nanoplatform consists of a calcium peroxide (CaO2) carrier, with which the surface was covered by Cu2+-doped polydopamine layers, and a covalently loaded manganese carbonyl (MnCO) donor. The nanoplatform specifically responded to the acidic TME, thereby releasing Ca2+ and H2O2 that was further decomposed into hydroxyl radicals (˙OH) via the Cu ion catalyzed Fenton-like reaction. Meanwhile, the released CO under 808 nm light irradiation led to mitochondrial dysfunction and increased the accumulation of intracellular ROS. Furthermore, the Ca2+ overloading could result in calcification of the cancer cells. Consequently, CaO2@PDA–Cu@MnCO showed impressive eradication efficacy for 4T1 cancer cells with a low IC50 value, thus offering a promising therapeutic modality for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal veins could develop to varicose vein (VV) by some risk factors, and might further progress to shallow vein thrombosis (SVT). However, the molecular mechanism of key genes associated with the progression and regression of VV are still not thorough enough. In this study, the healthy control (HC), VV, and SVT vascular samples were collected for transcriptome sequencing. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by "DESeq2", including DEGs1 (HC vs. VV), DEGs2 (HC vs. SVT) and DEGs3 (VV vs. SVT). And their functional enrichment analyses were conducted by "ClusterProfiler". The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to obtain the key genes (KGs) of the pathogenesis of VV and SVT. The qRT-PCR assay was performed to validate the expressions of KGs. Immune cell infiltration analyses were conducted based on ssGSEA method. The competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) regulatory network was constructed. The target drugs of KGs were predicted using DrugBank database. The biofunctions of DACT3 were further investigated through a series of experiments in vitro. All of these DEGs were associated with inflammation and immunity related functions. Immune cell infiltration was significantly different between VV and SVT. Six key genes including PLP2, DACT3, LRRC25, PILRA, MSX1 and APOD that were associated with the progression and regression of VV were screened. The expression of LRRC25 and PILRA was significantly negatively associated with central memory T cell, and significantly positively associated with B cell. Besides, XIST was the critical regulator of multiple KGs. Cimetidine was potential drug for VV and SVT therapy. Overexpression of DACT3 significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and affected their cell cycle and phenotypic transition. This study identified six key genes associated with the progression and regression of VV. Among them, DACT3 was proved to hinder VV progression. These findings may help to deepen understanding its underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish a practical risk stratification system (RSS) based on ultrasonography (US) and clinical characteristics for predicting soft tissue masses (STMs) malignancy. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included patients with STMs who underwent US and pathological examinations between April 2018 and April 2023. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association of US and clinical characteristics with the malignancy of STMs in the training set. The RSS was constructed based on the scores of risk factors and validated externally. Results: The training and validation sets included 1027 STMs (mean age, 50.90 ± 16.64, 442 benign and 585 malignant) and 120 STMs (mean age, 51.93 ± 17.90, 69 benign and 51 malignant), respectively. The RSS was constructed based on three clinical characteristics (age, duration, and history of malignancy) and six US characteristics (size, shape, margin, echogenicity, bone invasion, and vascularity). STMs were assigned to six categories in the RSS, including no abnormal findings, benign, probably benign (fitted probabilities [FP] for malignancy: 0.001–0.008), low suspicion (FP: 0.008–0.365), moderate suspicion (FP: 0.189–0.911), and high suspicion (FP: 0.798–0.999) for malignancy. The RSS displayed good diagnostic performance in the training and validation sets with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values of 0.883 and 0.849, respectively. Conclusion: The practical RSS based on US and clinical characteristics could be useful for predicting STM malignancy, thereby providing the benefit of timely treatment strategy management to STM patients. Critical relevance statement: With the help of the RSS, better communication between radiologists and clinicians can be realized, thus facilitating tumor management. Key Points: There is no recognized grading system for STM management. A stratification system based on US and clinical features was built. The system realized great communication between radiologists and clinicians in tumor management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composites (SiO2/HATP) were prepared by condensation reflux and high-temperature calcination using natural attapulgite and silica particles, and it was utilized for the adsorption of toluene. The physicochemical properties of the composite adsorbents were characterized using XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and BET techniques. The SiO2/HATP composite material was successfully prepared, with silica particles uniformly loaded onto the surface of ATP. The adsorption performance of the composite materials for toluene was investigated using different feed ratios. The results showed that the composite materials with the mass ratio SiO2/ATP equal to 4 exhibited the highest static adsorption capacity for toluene, reaching 236 mg/g. Additionally, dynamic adsorption performance of toluene was evaluated under conditions of 0 and 80% relative humidity, with corresponding breakthrough times of 90 and 36 min, respectively. The adsorption capacity of the composite materials for toluene was 6–8 times higher than that of pure attapulgite clay. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanisms of the composite materials were investigated through adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms, and adsorption thermodynamics. The results indicated that the adsorption of toluene by the composite materials followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm, suggesting a spontaneous exothermic physical adsorption process at a monolayer level. Moreover, regeneration experiments were conducted, and after 5 cycles of adsorption-desorption tests, the composite materials maintained a penetration time of 85 and 30 min for toluene under conditions of 0 and 80% relative humidity, respectively, demonstrating good recyclability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current scoring systems for short-term prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) lack coverage of risk factors and have limitations in risk stratification. The aim of this study was to develop a novel assessment system based on laboratory indicators and frailty quantification to better infer short-term prognosis and risk indication in patients with AMI. Methods: A total of 365 patients with MI from January 2022 to June 2023 in Northern Jiangsu Province Hospital were included. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during follow-up. A novel scoring model ranging from 0 to 12 was constructed, and the predictive ability of this scoring system was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: During follow-up, 68 patients experienced MACE. Five scoring indicators were selected through multivariate logistic regression analysis, resulting in a composite score with an AUC of 0.925, demonstrating good prognostic accuracy. Conclusion: The novel prognostic assessment system, which integrates age, Stress Hyperglycemia Ratio (SHR), Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), lactate, and frailty score, exhibits good predictive value for short-term MACE in patients with acute myocardial infarction and may enable more accurate risk classification for future use in MI patient risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The simulation of human sensory functions is a key trend in the field of sensor development. In taste sensing, taste biosensors emulate taste perception using biorecognition elements that participate in taste transduction, such as taste receptors, cells, tissues, etc. This approach obtains high selectivity and a wide detection range of human taste perception, making taste biosensors widely used in food analysis and taste perception studies. By combining biorecognition elements with suitable data processing and analysis techniques, the taste information generated during the process of taste transduction, obtained by the sensing elements of the sensor, can be accurately captured. In this paper, we explore current available solutions to stability and sensitivity, and other challenges in taste biosensors using taste receptors, cells, and tissues as sensing elements. We also outline the applied signal processing techniques based on the signal characteristics from different types of taste biosensors. Finally, it is proposed that the development of taste biosensing sensors will further promote the application of intelligent sensory evaluation and human perception analysis systems in food, medicine, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portulaca oleracea contains a variety of active substances such as polysaccharides, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, and organic acids, which have functions as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, blood sugar and lipid-lowering, and immune enhancement. The extract of Portulaca oleracea can regulate animal metabolism, improve feed utilization, and improve the quality of livestock products, making it highly valuable for development and utilization. This article reviews the active components, biological functions, and application progress of Portulaca oleracea extracts in animal production and breeding, providing a reference for the utilization of Portulaca oleracea extracts in the field of animal husbandry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoustic emission (AE) source localization is a fundamental element of rock fracture damage imaging. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of AE source localization, this paper proposes a joint method comprising a three-dimensional (3D) AE source localization simplex method and grid search scanning. Using the concept of the geometry of simplexes, tetrahedral iterations were first conducted to narrow down the suspected source region. This is followed by a process of meshing the region and node searching to scan for optimal solutions, until the source location is determined. The resulting algorithm was tested using the artificial excitation source localization and uniaxial compression tests, after which the localization results were compared with the simplex and exhaustive methods. The results revealed that the localization obtained using the proposed method is more stable and can be effectively avoided compared with the simplex localization method. Furthermore, compared with the global scanning method, the proposed method is more efficient, with an average time of 10%–20% of the global scanning localization algorithm. Thus, the proposed algorithm is of great significance for laboratory research focused on locating rupture damages sustained by large-sized rock masses or test blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome integration technology has markedly expedited the construction of cell factories. However, its application is currently limited by the inefficient integration of large DNA fragments. Here, we report a CRISPR/Cas9 based integration of large DNA fragments (CILF) method to efficiently integrate large DNA fragments in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this approach, a fusion protein, Cas9‐Brex27‐FadR, was employed for the targeted delivery of donor plasmid to double‐strand breaks (DSBs), while simultaneously recruiting Rad51 to enhance the efficiency of homologous recombination (HR). Our findings demonstrate that this method can achieve an integration efficiency of 98% for 10 kb DNA fragments and nearly 80% for 40 kb DNA fragments at a single site, using donor plasmids with 1000 bp homology arms (HAs) and 12 FadR binding sites (BSs). The CILF technique significantly enriches the synthetic biology toolbox of S. cerevisiae, offering significant potential to propel advancements in both synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Heat stress is an environmental factor that significantly threatens crop production worldwide. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms governing plant responses to heat stress are not fully understood. Plant zinc finger CCCH proteins have roles in stress responses as well as growth and development through protein–RNA, protein–DNA, and protein–protein interactions. Here, we reveal an integrated multi‐level regulation of plant thermotolerance that is mediated by the CCCH protein C3H15 in Arabidopsis. Heat stress rapidly suppressed C3H15 transcription, which attenuated C3H15‐inhibited expression of its target gene HEAT SHOCK TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR A2 (HSFA2), a central regulator of heat stress response (HSR), thereby activating HEAT SHOCK COGNATE 70 (HSC70.3) expression. The RING‐type E3 ligase MED25‐BINDING RING‐H2 PROTEIN 2 (MBR2) was identified as an interacting partner of C3H15. The mbr2 mutant was susceptible to heat stress compared to wild‐type plants, whereas plants overexpressing MBR2 showed increased heat tolerance. MBR2‐dependent ubiquitination mediated the degradation of phosphorylated C3H15 protein in the cytoplasm, which was enhanced by heat stress. Consistently, heat sensitivities of C3H15 overexpression lines increased in MBR2 loss‐of‐function and decreased in MBR2 overexpression backgrounds. Heat stress‐induced accumulation of HSC70.3 promoted MBR2‐mediated degradation of C3H15 protein, implying that an auto‐regulatory loop involving C3H15, HSFA2, and HSC70.3 regulates HSR. Heat stress also led to the accumulation of C3H15 in stress granules (SGs), a kind of cytoplasmic RNA granule. This study advances our understanding of the mechanisms plants use to respond to heat stress, which will facilitate technologies to improve thermotolerance in crops. Significance Statement: Heat stress is a severe environmental factor that significantly inhibits plant growth and development, but the molecular mechanisms governing plant responses to heat stress are not fully understood. This study reveals a mechanism of multi‐level regulation for thermotolerance in Arabidopsis, which will facilitate creating heat‐tolerant crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: For patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) locally advanced/metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) whose disease has progressed on or after osimertinib and platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC), no uniformly accepted standard of care exists. Moreover, limited efficacy of standard treatments indicates an unmet medical need, which is being addressed by ongoing clinical investigations, including the HERTHENA-Lung01 (NCT04619004) study of patritumab deruxtecan (HER3‑DXd). However, because limited information is available on real-world clinical outcomes in such patients, early-phase trials of investigational therapies lack sufficient context for comparison. This study describes the real-world clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes for patients with EGFRm mNSCLC who initiated a new line of therapy following previous osimertinib and PBC, including a subset matched to the HERTHENA-Lung01 population. Methods: This retrospective analysis used a US database derived from deidentified electronic health records. The reference cohort included patients with EGFRm mNSCLC who had initiated a new line of therapy between November 13, 2015 and June 30, 2021, following prior osimertinib and PBC. A subset of patients resembling the HERTHENA-Lung01 population was then extracted from the reference cohort; this matched subset was optimized using propensity score (PS) weighting. Endpoints were real-world overall survival (rwOS) and real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS). Confirmed real-world objective response rate (rwORR; partial/complete response confirmed ≥ 28 days later) was calculated for the response-evaluable subgroups of patients (with ≥ 2 response assessments spaced ≥ 28 days apart). Results: In the reference cohort (N = 273), multiple treatment regimens were used, and none was predominant. Median rwPFS and rwOS were 3.3 and 8.6 months, respectively; confirmed rwORR (response evaluable, n = 123) was 13.0%. In the matched subset (n = 126), after PS weighting, median rwPFS and rwOS were 4.2 and 9.1 months, respectively; confirmed rwORR (response evaluable, n = 57) was 14.1%. Conclusion: The treatment landscape for this heavily pretreated population of patients with EGFRm mNSCLC is fragmented, with no uniformly accepted standard of care. A high unmet need exists for therapeutic options that provide meaningful improvements in clinical benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore inflammation of soft tissue around the upper third molar as a prevalent cause of limited mouth opening, identify the clinical and radiographic features, and summarize the therapeutic effectiveness of tooth extraction. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of data from 264 patients with limited mouth opening over the last five years was performed. Results: Among the 264 patients, 24 (9.1%) had inflammation of the soft tissue around the upper third molar, which was the second most common cause of limited mouth opening. Twenty-one of the twenty-four affected patients, with an average mouth opening of 19.1 ± 7.6 mm, underwent upper third molar extraction. Gingival tenderness around the upper third molar or maxillary tuberosity mucosa was a characteristic clinical manifestation (p < 0.05). The characteristic features on maxillofacial CT included soft tissue swelling around the upper third molar and gap narrowing between the maxillary nodules and the mandibular ascending branch. Post extraction, the average mouth opening increased to 31.4 ± 4.9 mm (p < 0.05), and follow-up CT demonstrated regression of the inflammatory soft tissue around the upper third molar. Conclusions: Inflammation of soft tissue around the upper third molar is a common cause of limited mouth opening. Symptoms of pain associated with the upper third molar and distinctive findings on enhanced maxillofacial CT scans are crucial for diagnosis. Upper third molar extraction yields favorable therapeutic outcomes. Clinical relevance: Inflammation of the soft tissue around the maxillary third molar commonly causes limited mouth opening, but this phenomenon has long been overlooked. Clarifying this etiology can reduce the number of misdiagnosed patients with restricted mouth opening and enable more efficient treatment for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sheehan's syndrome is a rare condition, which is classically characterized by anterior pituitary hypofunction following postpartum shock or hemorrhage. While diabetes insipidus (DI) is not commonly associated with Sheehan's syndrome, we present a rare case of a multiparous female developing rapid-onset panhypopituitarism and DI following severe postpartum hemorrhage. Case presentation: A previously healthy 39-year-old woman, gravida 5, para 4, presented with hypovolemic shock after vaginal delivery, attributed to severe postpartum hemorrhage, necessitating emergent hysterectomy. Although her shock episodes resolved during hospitalization, she developed intermittent fever, later diagnosed as adrenal insufficiency. Administration of hydrocortisone effectively resolved the fever. However, she subsequently developed diabetes insipidus. Diagnosis of Sheehan's syndrome with central diabetes insipidus was confirmed through functional hormonal tests and MRI findings. Treatment consisted of hormone replacement therapy, with persistent panhypopituitarism noted during a ten-year follow-up period. Conclusions: Sheehan's syndrome is a rare complication of postpartum hemorrhage. Central diabetes insipidus should be suspected, although not commonly, while the patient presented polyuria and polydipsia. Besides, the potential necessity for long-term hormonal replacement therapy should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable chemical fuels relies significantly on the donation of multiple electrons. Its efficiency is closely linked to both the density and lifetime of excited charge carriers. In this study, a hybrid catalyst system comprising covalently bonded InP/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and Re‐complexes is showcased. The electronic band alignment between the QDs and the Re‐complexes is revealed to dominate the multi‐electron transfer process for photocatalytic conversion to methane (CH4). Notably, the size of the QDs is found to be a determining parameter. Among the three QD sizes investigated, transient absorption spectroscopy studies unveil that rapid multi‐electron transfer from the QDs to the Re‐catalyst occurs in smaller QDs (2.3 nm) due to the substantial driving force. Consequently, the photocatalytic conversion of CO2 to CH4 is significantly enhanced with a turnover number of 6, corresponding to the overall apparent quantum yield of ≈1%. This research underscores the possibilities of engineering multi‐electron transfer by manipulating the electronic band alignment within a catalytic system. This can serve as a guide for optimizing photocatalytic CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mounting evidence showed that HER2-Low breast cancer patients could benefit from the novel anti-HER2 antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) treatment, which pointed the way towards better therapy for HER2-Low patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinicopathological features, along with chemotherapeutic effects and survival outcomes of HER2-Low and HER2-Zero in TNBC who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). We retrospectively evaluated 638 triple-negative breast cancer patients who were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between August 2014 and August 2022. Pathologic complete response (pCR) and survival outcomes were analyzed in HER2-Low cohort, HER2-Zero cohort and the overall patients, respectively. In the entire cohort, 342 (53.6%) patients were HER2-Low and 296 (46.4%) patients were HER2-Zero. No significant difference was found between HER2-Low and HER2-Zero patients based on all the clinical–pathological characteristics. 143 cases (22.4%) achieved pCR after NACT in the overall TNBC patients. The pCR rate of the HER2-Low patients and the HER2-Zero patients was 21.3% and 23.6%, respectively, exhibiting no statistical difference (p = 0.487). The survival of pCR group after NACT significantly improved compared to non-pCR group either in HER2-Low patients or in HER2-Zero patients. Although we found that patients with HER2-Low had longer DFS than patients with HER2-Zero, there was no considerable difference (p = 0.068). However, HER2-Low patients had a dramatically longer OS than HER2-Zero patients (p = 0.012). The data from present study confirmed the clinical importance of HER2-Low expression in TNBC. Further effort is needed to determine whether HER2-Low could be a more favorable prognostic marker for individual treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) served as oral antidiabetic agents for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although an action on glucose homeostasis was identified, no well-rounded illustration had been established on the changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels during DPP-4i treatment. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha in patients with T2DM. Methods: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were systematically searched from inception to May 31, 2024. Randomized controlled trials exploring the impact of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels were identified. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane criteria. A fixed or random-effects model was selected to pool estimate on whether the heterogeneity was present. Subgroup analysis were performed to explore the potential factors that influenced heterogeneity. Related meta-analysis was conducted with the software of Revman 5.3 and STATA 12.0. Results: Eleven trials involving 884 participants with T2DM were included. Pooled estimates suggested that DPP-4i did not significantly modulate TNF-alpha levels (WMD, − 0.70, 95% CI − 1.94 to 0.53, P = 0.26) in T2DM. DPP-4i produced a significant effect on TNF-alpha (WMD, − 4.50 pg/mL, 95% CI − 4.68 to − 4.32, P < 0.00001) when compared to placebo, and a comparable effect was demonstrated on TNF-alpha (WMD, 0.10 pg/mL, 95% CI − 0.11 to 0.30, P = 0.35) in comparison with active agents. Estimate was stable according to the sensitivity test. Subgroup analysis revealed that heterogeneity might not correlate with baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), age or treatment duration. Conclusions: A significant effect of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels was present in T2DM when compared to placebo. Administration of DPP-4i produced no significant effect on TNF-alpha in comparison with active comparators. Further studies with large samples should be performed to illustrate the impact of DPP-4i on TNF-alpha levels in T2DM. Trial registration International Prospective Register for Systematic Review (PROSPERO) number: CRD42020185479 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality‐driven self‐sorting plays an essential role in controlling the biofunction of biosystems, such as the chiral double‐helix structure of DNA from self‐recognition by hydrogen bonding. However, achieving precise control over the chiral self‐sorted structures and their functional properties for the bioinspired supramolecular systems still remains a challenge, not to mention realizing dynamically reversible regulation. Herein, we report an unprecedented saucer[4]arene‐based charge transfer (CT) cocrystal system with dynamically reversible chiral self‐sorting synergistically induced by chiral triangular macrocycle and organic vapors. It displays efficient chain length‐selective vapochromism toward alkyl ketones due to precise modulation of optical properties by vapor‐induced diverse structural transformations. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the unique vapochromic behavior is mainly attributed to the formation of homo‐ or heterochiral self‐sorted assemblies with different alkyl ketone guests, which differ dramatically in solid‐state superstructures and CT interactions, thus influencing their optical properties. This work highlights the essential role of chiral self‐sorting in controlling the functional properties of synthetic supramolecular systems, and the rarely seen controllable chiral self‐sorting at the solid‐vapor interface deepens the understanding of efficient vapochromic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chirality‐driven self‐sorting plays an essential role in controlling the biofunction of biosystems, such as the chiral double‐helix structure of DNA from self‐recognition by hydrogen bonding. However, achieving precise control over the chiral self‐sorted structures and their functional properties for the bioinspired supramolecular systems still remains a challenge, not to mention realizing dynamically reversible regulation. Herein, we report an unprecedented saucer[4]arene‐based charge transfer (CT) cocrystal system with dynamically reversible chiral self‐sorting synergistically induced by chiral triangular macrocycle and organic vapors. It displays efficient chain length‐selective vapochromism toward alkyl ketones due to precise modulation of optical properties by vapor‐induced diverse structural transformations. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the unique vapochromic behavior is mainly attributed to the formation of homo‐ or heterochiral self‐sorted assemblies with different alkyl ketone guests, which differ dramatically in solid‐state superstructures and CT interactions, thus influencing their optical properties. This work highlights the essential role of chiral self‐sorting in controlling the functional properties of synthetic supramolecular systems, and the rarely seen controllable chiral self‐sorting at the solid‐vapor interface deepens the understanding of efficient vapochromic sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the service process of a bearingless motorized spindle (BLMS), its parameters change with both time and external conditions, leading to a decrease in the accuracy of the motorized spindle. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately describe the dynamic performance of a motorized spindle during its actual operation using deterministic parameters. In this paper, the interactions between the thermal deformation and vibration of a motorized spindle are explored. A dynamic model of the motorized spindle based on multibody dynamics and time-varying parameters is established, and a solution method for the dynamic model with uncertain parameters is investigated. Firstly, the reasons for the vibration in the BLMS are analyzed, and the influences of thermal deformation on the thermal eccentricity and inhomogeneous air gap of the BLMS are studied. A vibration model of the BLMS is established and solved to acquire the radial vibration displacement. Secondly, a discrete multibody dynamics model of the BLMS is built, and the center trajectory of the motorized spindle is attained by solving the multibody dynamics model. A prototype experimental platform of the BLMS is designed, and vibration tests are carried out. The experimental results show that the vibration amplitude of the BLMS increases with the running time and the maximum displacement exhibits a large deviation from the simulation results using the determined parameters, while there is a small deviation from the simulation results using uncertain parameters; this indicates that the solution of the multibody dynamics model of the BLMS described by uncertain parameters is closer to the experimental data. These research findings can provide a reference for the optimized design of BLMSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) can transfer or load and unload material in industrial scenarios due to their flexibility and operability, freeing people from tedious and repetitive labour. However, the dynamic scene and the system model uncertainty reduce the parking accuracy of AGVs in industrial scenes, which seriously affects the autonomous operation robustness and accuracy. Using sliding mode parking control with trajectory planning based on iterative error compensation, this paper proposes a data-driven parking control-planning integration solution for AGVs in complex industrial scenes, which allows AGVs to park accurately and converge to the target parking site quickly. First of all, a data-driven discrete sliding mode controller has been developed to iteratively enhance parking accuracy and effectively rectify the target parking position. This controller showcases insensitivity towards disturbances encountered during the erratic iterative error compensation process, thereby ensuring rapid and asymptotic convergence of the parking error in industrial scenarios. Then, to achieve efficient and smooth planning with the target parking site constantly being corrected, an improved Bi-RRT based trajectory planning scheme is proposed by considering operational constraints and node expanding region division, which provides the trajectory that contributes to parking convergence for the proposed controller promptly. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed method is verified by real-world experiments with self-developed AGV in industrial scenes, and experimental results show that the proposed method achieves accurate parking control with efficient trajectory planning and rapid parking error convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is defined as an oestrogen‐dependent and inflammatory gynaecological disease of which the pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the cellular heterogeneity and reveal the effect of CD8+ T cells on the progress of endometriosis. Three ovarian endometriosis patients were collected, and single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) progressed and delineated the cellular landscape of endometriosis containing five cell clusters. The endometrial cells (EMCs) were the major component, of which the mesenchymal cells were preponderant and characterized with increased inflammation and oestrogen synthesis in endometriosis. The proportion of T cells, mainly CD8+ T cells rather than CD4+, was reduced in endometriotic lesions, and the cytokines and cytotoxicity of ectopic T cells were depressed. CD8+ T cells depressed the proliferation of ESCs through inhibiting CDK1/CCNB1 pathway to arrest the cell cycle and triggered inflammation through activating STAT1 pathway. Correspondingly, the coculture with ESCs resulted in the dysfunction of CD8+ T cells through upregulating STAT1/PDCD1 pathway and glycolysis‐promoted metabolism reprogramming. The endometriotic lesions were larger in nude mouse models with T‐cell deficiency than the normal mouse models. The inhibition of T cells via CD90.2 or CD8A antibody increased the endometriotic lesions in mouse models, and the supplement of T cells to nude mouse models diminished the lesion sizes. In conclusion, this study revealed the global cellular variation of endometriosis among which the cellular count and physiology of EMCs and T cells were significantly changed. The depressed cytotoxicity and aberrant metabolism of CD8+ T cells were induced by ESCs with the activation of STAT1/PDCD1 pathway resulting in immune survival to promote endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands deliver a variety of beneficial ecosystem services, particularly serving as habitats for a diverse array of species. Hynobius amjiensis is a critically endangered amphibian initially discovered in a Sphagnum-dominated peatland in Anji, China. The unique habitat requirements of H. amjiensis make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes. Here, we investigated the different breeding pools of H. amjiensis in the Sphagnum-dominated peatland (the type locality) for a one-year period to evaluate the interactions among the egg sacs present, water quality, and microbial communities (16S and 18S rRNA gene amplicon). The numbers of egg sacs were higher in the breeding pools located at the marginal area than those at the core area of the peatland. Similarly, the α-diversity of bacteria, fungi, and protists were lower in the core region compared to those at the edge of the peatland, perhaps due to water eutrophication. The microbial communities and water quality differed significantly among breeding pools and sampling months. The simpler microbial networks of the breeding pools in the core wetland may impact the numbers and health of the egg sacs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effect of water quality on biodiversity in peatlands, and it can also guide regulations for wetland conservation and the protection of endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is believed to be associated with a notable disruption of cellular energy metabolism. By detecting the changes of energy metabolites in the serum of patients with pulmonary fibrosis, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of energy metabolites in IPF, and further elucidated the mechanism of their involvement in pulmonary fibrosis. Through metabolomics research, it was discovered that the TCA cycle intermediates changed dramatically in IPF patients. In another validation cohort of 55 patients with IPF compared to 19 healthy controls, it was found that succinate, an intermediate product of TCA cycle, has diagnostic and prognostic value in IPF. The cut-off levels of serum succinate were 98.36 μM for distinguishing IPF from healthy controls (sensitivity, 83.64%; specificity, 63.16%; likelihood ratio, 2.27, respectively). Moreover, a high serum succinate level was independently associated with higher rates of disease progression (OR 13.087, 95%CI (2.819–60.761)) and mortality (HR 3.418, 95% CI (1.308–8.927)). In addition, accumulation of succinate and increased expression of the succinate receptor GPR91 were found in both IPF patients and BLM mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis. Reducing succinate accumulation in BLM mice alleviated pulmonary fibrosis and 21d mortality, while exogenous administration of succinate can aggravate pulmonary fibrosis in BLM mice. Furthermore, GPR91 deficiency protected against lung fibrosis caused by BLM. In vitro, succinate promoted the activation of lung fibroblasts by activating ERK pathway through GPR91. In summary, succinate is a promising biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of IPF. The accumulation of succinate may promote fibroblast activation through GPR91 and pulmonary fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most widespread neurodegenerative disease in the world. Previous studies have shown that peripheral immune dysregulation plays a paramount role in AD, but whether there is a protective causal relationship between peripheral immunophenotypes and AD risk remains ambiguous. Methods: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed using large genome-wide association study (GWAS) genetic data to assess causal effects between peripheral immunophenotypes and AD risk. Utilizing the genetic associations of 731 immune cell traits as exposures. We adopted the inverse variance weighted method as the primary approach. The Weighted median and MR-Egger regression methods were employed as supplements. Various sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the outcomes. Results: Based on the IVW method, we identified 14 immune cell traits that significantly reduced the risk of AD, of which six demonstrated statistical significance in both IVW and Weighted median methods. Among the seven immune traits, four were related to regulatory T (Treg) cells: (1) CD25++ CD45RA- CD4 not regulatory T cell % T cell (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.96 [0.95, 0.98], adjusted P = 1.17E-02), (2) CD25++ CD45RACD4 not regulatory T cell % CD4+ T cell (OR [95% CI] = 0.97 [0.96, 0.99], adjusted P = 3.77E-02), (3) Secreting CD4 regulatory T cell % CD4 regulatory T cell (OR [95% CI] = 0.98 [0.97, 0.99], adjusted P = 7.10E-03), (4) Activated & secreting CD4 regulatory T cell % CD4 regulatory T cell(OR [95% CI] = 0.98 [0.97, 0.99], adjusted P = 7.10E-03). In addition, HLA DR++ monocyte % monocyte (OR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.89, 0.98], adjusted P = 4.87E-02) was associated with monocytes, and HLA DR on myeloid Dendritic Cell (OR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.89, 0.97], adjusted P = 1.17E-02) was related to dendritic cells (DCs). Conclusion: These findings enhance the comprehension of the protective role of peripheral immunity in AD and provide further support for Treg and monocyte as potential targets for immunotherapy in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity of ruthenium polyphthalocyanine axially modified with different aliphatic thiol groups, RuPPc–SR (SR = –SCH3, –SC2H5, –SC3H7, –SC4H9, –SC5H11, and –SC6H13), in an acidic medium were simulated using DFT. All –SR groups can effectively enhance the ORR and OER catalytic activities of RuPPc. The ORR and OER overpotentials of RuPPc–SC4H9 are 0.237 V and 0.436 V, respectively, which are far lower than those of RuPPc (0.960 V and 0.903 V). For RuPPc–SC4H9, the four C and S atoms of the –SC4H9 chain and Ru atom are coplanar, and thus, conjugate effects and inductive effects exist between the –SC4H9 chain and Ru atom. This makes the Ru atom exhibit the least positive Bader charge and smallest spin density, and the anti-bonding orbitals of dxz, dyz, and dz2 of the Ru atom shift below the Fermi level (Ef). This makes the adsorption strength of RuPPc–SC4H9 toward ORR and OER intermediates the weakest, which accelerates the reaction process, thus resulting in better ORR and OER catalytic activity. Therefore, the introduction of the aliphatic thiol groups might effectively improve the OER/ORR catalytic activity of RuPPc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the operation of the world's second-largest hydropower facility, Baihetan Hydropower Station, the risk of landslide deformation has increased. To address these potential threats, we employed Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology for a large-scale landslide investigation and comprehensively revealed the deformation mechanisms of landslides near the dam site. Our research indicates that the alternating geological features of soft and hard rock layers are the primary causes of landslides, especially the fracturing phenomena of vast amounts of mudstone upon contact with moisture. This leads to the reservoir's left bank's dip-slope being susceptible to slip and tensional failure, while the reservoir's right bank's reverse slope is more prone to plastic flow and tensional damage. Rapid water level changes and altered rainfall patterns are key factors that trigger landslide instability. Furthermore, we also explored the relationship between fault zones, seismic activity, and landslides, particularly noting the fully coupled state of the southern end of the Daliangshan fault zone, which might further exacerbate landslide deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to identify survival risk factors in Chinese children with hepatoblastoma (HB) and assess the effectiveness of the new treatment protocol proposed by the Chinese Children's Cancer Group (CCCG) in 2016. Methods: A multicenter, prospective study that included 399 patients with HB from January 2015 to June 2020 was conducted. Patient demographics, treatment protocols, and other related information were collected. Cox regression models and Kaplan–Meier curve methods were used. Results: The 4-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 76.9 and 93.5%, respectively. The 4-year EFS rates for the very-low-risk, low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 100%, 91.6%, 81.7%, and 51.0%, respectively. The 4-year OS was 100%, 97.3%, 94.4%, and 86.8%, respectively. Cox regression analysis found that age, tumor rupture (R +), and extrahepatic tumor extension (E +) were independent prognostic factors. A total of 299 patients had complete remission, and 19 relapsed. Patients with declining alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 75% after the first two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy had a better EFS and OS than those ≤ 75%. Conclusions: The survival outcome of HB children has dramatically improved since the implementation of CCCG-HB-2016 therapy. Age ≥ 8 years, R + , and E + were independent risk factors for prognosis. Patients with a declining AFP > 75% after the first two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy had better EFS and OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specific surface area of attapulgite was significantly enhanced (from 128 to 212 m2/g) by its purification with sodium hexametaphosphate and nitric acid. Subsequently, an acid modification method was employed to prepare a coated attapulgite cordierite honeycomb with a specific surface area approximately 39 times larger than that of the bare cordierite honeycomb. SEM images showed that the surface of the cordierite was rough and uneven, with the attapulgite filling the large pores on its surface, forming a "nail-like" interaction between the coating and the carrier. After loading the catalyst, no significant mass loss was observed after 1 h of ultrasonic testing, indicating good adhesion stability of the coating. Furthermore, under test conditions of GHSV (Gas Hourly Space Velocity) = 10 000 h–1 and a toluene concentration of 1500 ppm, the prepared integrated catalyst exhibited excellent activity for the catalytic oxidation of toluene, with T50 and T90 values of 261 and 290°C, respectively, suggesting broad application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histone H3 Lys36 (H3K36) methylation and its associated modifiers are crucial for DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, but the mechanism governing whether and how different H3K36 methylation forms impact repair pathways is unclear. Here, we unveil the distinct roles of H3K36 dimethylation (H3K36me2) and H3K36 trimethylation (H3K36me3) in DSB repair via non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homologous recombination (HR). Yeast cells lacking H3K36me2 or H3K36me3 exhibit reduced NHEJ or HR efficiency. yKu70 and Rfa1 bind H3K36me2- or H3K36me3-modified peptides and chromatin, respectively. Disrupting these interactions impairs yKu70 and Rfa1 recruitment to damaged H3K36me2- or H3K36me3-rich loci, increasing DNA damage sensitivity and decreasing repair efficiency. Conversely, H3K36me2-enriched intergenic regions and H3K36me3-enriched gene bodies independently recruit yKu70 or Rfa1 under DSB stress. Importantly, human KU70 and RPA1, the homologs of yKu70 and Rfa1, exclusively associate with H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 in a conserved manner. These findings provide valuable insights into how H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 regulate distinct DSB repair pathways, highlighting H3K36 methylation as a critical element in the choice of DSB repair pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quasi-Toeplitz M-matrix A is an infinite M-matrix that can be written as the sum of a semi-infinite Toeplitz matrix and a correction matrix. This paper is concerned with computing the square root of invertible quasi-Toeplitz M-matrices which preserves the quasi-Toeplitz structure. We show that the Toeplitz part of the square root can be easily computed through evaluation/interpolation. This advantage allows us to propose algorithms solely for the computation of correction part, whence we propose a fixed-point iteration and a structure-preserving doubling algorithm. Additionally, we show that the correction part can be approximated by solving a nonlinear matrix equation with coefficients of finite size followed by extending the solution to infinity. Numerical experiments showing the efficiency of the proposed algorithms are performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin E receptor 3 (PTGER3) is involved in a variety of biological processes in the human body and is closely associated with the development and progression of a variety of cancer types. However, the role of PTGER3 in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains unclear. In the present study, low PTGER3 expression was found to be associated with poor prognosis in TNBC patients. PTGER3 plays a crucial role in regulating TNBC cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. Upregulation of PTGER3 weakens the epithelial–mesenchymal phenotype in TNBC and promotes ferroptosis both in vitro and in vivo by repressing glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression. On the other hand, downregulation of PTGER3 inhibits ferroptosis by increasing GPX4 expression and activating the PI3K‐AKT pathway. Upregulation of PTGER3 also enhances the sensitivity of TNBC cells to paclitaxel. Overall, this study has elucidated critical pathways in which low PTGER3 expression protects TNBC cells from undergoing ferroptosis, thereby promoting its progression. PTGER3 may thus serve as a novel and promising biomarker and therapeutic target for TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The conquest of land by plants was concomitant with, and possibly enabled by, the evolution of three‐dimensional (3D) growth. The moss Physcomitrium patens provides a model system for elucidating molecular mechanisms in the initiation of 3D growth. Here, we investigate whether the phytohormone ethylene, which is believed to have been a signal before land plant emergence, plays a role in 3D growth regulation in P. patens.We report ethylene controls 3D gametophore formation, based on results from exogenously applied ethylene and genetic manipulation of PpEIN2, which is a central component in the ethylene signaling pathway.Overexpression (OE) of PpEIN2 activates ethylene responses and leads to earlier formation of gametophores with fewer gametophores produced thereafter, phenocopying ethylene‐treated wild‐type. Conversely, Ppein2 knockout mutants, which are ethylene insensitive, show initially delayed gametophore formation with more gametophores produced later. Furthermore, pharmacological and biochemical analyses reveal auxin levels are decreased in the OE lines but increased in the knockout mutants.Our results suggest that evolutionarily, ethylene and auxin molecular networks were recruited to build the plant body plan in ancestral land plants. This might have played a role in enabling ancient plants to acclimate to the continental surfaces of the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, supramolecular luminescent materials (SLMs) have attracted considerable attention due to their dynamic noncovalent interactions, versatile functions, and intriguing applications in many research fields. From construction to application, great efforts and progress have been made in color‐tunable SLMs in recent years. In order to realize multicolor luminescence, various design strategies have been proposed. Macrocyclic chemistry, one of the brightest jewels in the field of supramolecular chemistry, has played a crucial role in the construction of stimuli‐responsive and emission‐tunable SLMs. Moreover, the flexible and tunable conformation and multiple noncovalent complexation sites of the macrocyclic arenes (MAs) afford a new opportunity to create such dynamic smart luminescent materials. Inspired by our reported work on the color‐tunable supramolecular crystalline assemblies modulated by the conformation of naphth[4]arene, this Concept provides a summary of the latest developments in the construction of color‐tunable MA‐based SLMs, accompanied by the various construction strategies. The aim is to provide researchers with a new perspective to construct color‐tunable SLMs with fascinating functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]