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Background: Temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common type of focal epilepsy, but hereditary factors are usually overlooked. Reelin (RELN) is considered to be the second most common pathogenic gene implicated in autosomal dominant lateral temporal epilepsy (ADLTE). However, this mutation is not frequently discovered in the Chinese population. Additionally, there are few clinical studies regarding the connection between RELN and glioma. Case presentation: The healthcare records of an 8-year-old child who experienced generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) during sleep for 7 years were retrospectively analyzed. In addition to experiencing his first seizure at the age of one, his mother also suffered from GTCS during her pregnancy, and a glioma was discovered. An investigation involving gene sequencing was conducted on the proband and his parents. He was diagnosed with ADLTE once a missense mutation in RELN (c.1799 C > T) was identified as the causal factor. The mutation was inherited from his mother. He was taking levetiracetam (500 mg twice a day) to avoid seizures, but his mother died of status epilepticus caused by glioma recurrence two years earlier. Conclusions: Genetic issues should be given more consideration in cases of temporal lobe epilepsy. If the source of the seizures is determined to be inherited, anti-seizure medications should be used for prolonged periods. Furthermore, more research is required to determine whether mutations in RELN are related to the occurrence and progression of gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Abnormal lipid metabolism is known to influence the malignant behavior of gastric cancer. However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the biological significance of genes involved in lipid metabolism in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Methods. We obtained gene expression profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for early and advanced gastric cancer samples and performed differential expression analysis to identify specific lipid metabolism-related genes in AGC. We then used consensus cluster analysis to classify AGC patients into molecular subtypes based on lipid metabolism and constructed a diagnostic model using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator- (LASSO-) Cox regression analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). We evaluated the discriminative ability and clinical significance of the model using the Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve, ROC curve, DCA curve, and nomogram. We also estimated immune levels based on immune microenvironment expression, immune checkpoints, and immune cell infiltration and obtained hub genes by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of differential genes from the two molecular subtypes. Results. We identified 6 lipid metabolism genes that were associated with the prognosis of AGC and used consistent clustering to classify AGC patients into two subgroups with significantly different overall survival and immune microenvironment. Our risk model successfully classified patients in the training and validation sets into high-risk and low-risk groups. The high-risk score predicted poor prognosis and indicated low degree of immune infiltration. Subgroup analysis showed that the risk model was an independent predictor of prognosis in AGC. Furthermore, our results indicated that most chemotherapeutic agents are more effective for AGC patients in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group, and risk scores for AGC are strongly correlated with drug sensitivity. Finally, we performed qRT-PCR experiments to verify the relevant results. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that lipid metabolism-related genes play an important role in predicting the prognosis of AGC and regulating immune invasion. These results have important implications for the development of targeted therapies for AGC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Site-specific recombinases such as the Cre-LoxP system are routinely used for genome engineering in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Importantly, recombinases complement the CRISPR-Cas toolbox and provide the additional benefit of high-efficiency DNA editing without generating toxic DNA double-strand breaks, allowing multiple recombination events at the same time. However, only a handful of independent, orthogonal recombination systems are available, limiting their use in more complex applications that require multiple specific recombination events, such as metabolic engineering and genetic circuits. To address this shortcoming, we develop 63 symmetrical LoxP variants and test 1192 pairwise combinations to determine their cross-reactivity and specificity upon Cre activation. Ultimately, we establish a set of 16 orthogonal LoxPsym variants and demonstrate their use for multiplexed genome engineering in both prokaryotes (E. coli) and eukaryotes (S. cerevisiae and Z. mays). Together, this work yields a significant expansion of the Cre-LoxP toolbox for genome editing, metabolic engineering and other controlled recombination events, and provides insights into the Cre-LoxP recombination process.Site-specific recombinases such as the Cre-LoxP system are routinely used for genome engineering in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here the authors develop 63 symmetrical LoxP variants and test 1192 pairwise combinations to determine their cross-reactivity and specificity upon Cre activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dramatic alterations in epigenetic landscapes are known to impact genome accessibility and transcription. Extensive evidence demonstrates that senescent cells undergo significant changes in chromatin structure; however, the mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between epigenetic parameters and gene expression profiles have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we delineate the genome-wide redistribution of accessible chromatin regions that lead to broad transcriptome effects during senescence. We report that distinct senescence-activated accessibility regions (SAAs) are always distributed in H3K27ac-occupied enhancer regions, where they are responsible for elevated flanking senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) expression and aberrant cellular signaling relevant to SASP secretion. Mechanistically, a single transcription factor, TEAD4, moves away from H3K27ac-labled SAAs to allow for prominent chromatin accessibility reconstruction during senescence. The enhanced SAAs signal driven by TEAD4 suppression subsequently induces a robust increase in the expression of adjacent SASP genes and the secretion of downstream factors, which contribute to the progression of senescence. Our findings illustrate a dynamic landscape of chromatin accessibility following senescence entry, and further reveal an insightful function for TEAD4 in regulating the broad chromatin state that modulates the overall transcriptional program of SASP genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that the benefits of hydropower stations from regulating and consuming new energy are restricted during the dry season due to the inadequate regulation capacity, this paper focuses on the accommodation capacity evaluation of hydropower for wind‐ photovoltaic (PV, for short) power generation in different supply‐grid‐load conditions. First, the factors that influence hydropower stations' accommodation capacity were initially examined in this study, in terms of power supply, power grid, and load. Then, two new indices, namely the regulatory factor of installed capacity and the regulatory factor of electric quantity, were put forward to evaluate the capacity of hydropower for accommodating wind‐PV. To reduce the peak regulation burden on the power grid and encourage the consumption of clean energy, a two‐objective optimization model with maximum source‐load matching and clean energy consumption was devised. And a two‐tier binary algorithm and progressive optimization coupled strategy was proposed to solve the model. Finally, the cascade hydropower stations in the north Panxi section of the Yalong River and the surrounding wind farm and PV power stations were taken as examples to examine the sensitivity of the factors. The results show that with each 5% increase in the regulatory electric quantity, the regulatable installed wind‐PV capacity and consumable wind‐PV electric quantity were increased by 7.57% and 8.21%, respectively, rank only second to transmission capacity. Considering the large investment required for transmission channel expansion, this result reveals that the most effective and economical way to promote wind‐PV consumption is to increase the regulated electric quantity of hydropower stations in the river basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that the benefits of hydropower stations from regulating and consuming new energy are restricted during the dry season due to the inadequate regulation capacity, this paper focuses on the accommodation capacity evaluation of hydropower for wind‐ photovoltaic (PV, for short) power generation in different supply‐grid‐load conditions. First, the factors that influence hydropower stations' accommodation capacity were initially examined in this study, in terms of power supply, power grid, and load. Then, two new indices, namely the regulatory factor of installed capacity and the regulatory factor of electric quantity, were put forward to evaluate the capacity of hydropower for accommodating wind‐PV. To reduce the peak regulation burden on the power grid and encourage the consumption of clean energy, a two‐objective optimization model with maximum source‐load matching and clean energy consumption was devised. And a two‐tier binary algorithm and progressive optimization coupled strategy was proposed to solve the model. Finally, the cascade hydropower stations in the north Panxi section of the Yalong River and the surrounding wind farm and PV power stations were taken as examples to examine the sensitivity of the factors. The results show that with each 5% increase in the regulatory electric quantity, the regulatable installed wind‐PV capacity and consumable wind‐PV electric quantity were increased by 7.57% and 8.21%, respectively, rank only second to transmission capacity. Considering the large investment required for transmission channel expansion, this result reveals that the most effective and economical way to promote wind‐PV consumption is to increase the regulated electric quantity of hydropower stations in the river basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has become commonplace to explore the spatial distribution patterns of microbial communities in natural ecosystems. However, few have looked at the responses of community diversity, structure, and assembly processes from different microbial groups to changes in environmental stress caused by altitude. Purpose: We investigated the spatial and biogeographical patterns of different microbial groups, including bacteria, fungi, and protists, from tobacco soil along an altitudinal gradient to evaluate the influence of geographic distance and environmental stress on microbial distribution pattern. Methods: DDR (distance decay relationship) model was calculated to evaluate the spatial distribution pattern. Then, NCM (neutral community model) and two null-modelling-based approaches, NST (normalized stochasticity ratio) and iCAMP (the infer community assembly mechanism by phylogenetic-bin-based null model analysis), were used to reveal the importance of stochastic and deterministic processes to microbial community assembly by utilizing high-throughput sequencing data. Result: Bacterial community α-diversity decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing environmental stress. Moreover, all communities exhibited a significant DDR pattern (P < 0.001), with the slope of bacteria (0.146) being significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of fungi (0.059) and protists (0.060). The results of NCM and the two null-modelling-based approaches revealed the importance of stochastic processes to bacterial (83.4%) and protist (69.9%) communities, which were primarily shaped by drift and dispersal limitation, respectively; meanwhile, deterministic processes were important to the fungal community (53.7%). Additionally, we found a significant correlation between the assembly process and geographic distance (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study provides a complementary perspective to the study of multiple hierarchical groups across different spatial scales (i.e., horizontal and vertical scales). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tumor microenvironment is one of the important drivers of tumor development. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a major component of the tumor stroma and actively participate in tumor development, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and other biological behaviors. CAFs are a highly heterogeneous group of cells, a reflection of the diversity of their origin, biomarkers, and functions. The diversity of CAF origin determines the complexity of CAF biomarkers, and CAF subpopulations expressing different biomarkers may play contrasting roles in tumor progression. In this review, we provide an overview of these emerging CAF biomarkers and the biological functions that they suggest, which may give a better understanding of the relationship between CAFs and tumor cells and be of great significance for breakthroughs in precision targeted therapy for tumors. 4MXDrYacAMU1sXRLmSENH8 Video Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a wind-solar-hydro hybrid generation system is an effective way of ensuring the smooth passage of clean energy into the grid, and its related scheduling research is a complex and real-time optimization problem. Compared with the traditional scheduling method, this research investigates and improves the accuracy of the scheduling model and the flexibility of the scheduling strategy. The paper innovatively introduces a sand-table deduction model and designs a real-time adaptive scheduling algorithm to evaluate the source-load matching capability of the hybrid wind-solar-hydro system at ultra-short-term scales, and verifies it through arithmetic examples. The results show that the proposed adaptive sand-table scheduling model can reflect the actual output characteristics of the hybrid wind-solar-hydro system, track the load curve, and suppress the fluctuation of wind and solar energy, with good source-load matching capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Postoperative spindle cell nodule (PSCN) is a pseudosarcomatous proliferative lesion of unclear molecular genetic origins. Methods and results: We examined seven patients with PSCN, using routine haematoxylin–eosin (H&E) slide preparations and a series of immunostains. The latter targeted keratin, vimentin, α‐smooth muscle actin (SMA), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK [D5F3]), and other proteins. Ubiquitin‐specific peptidase 6 (USP6) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements were also analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). There were histories of prior surgical intervention (n = 6) or trauma (n = 1) in all seven patients. All lesions were highly cellular and mitotically active spindle cell proliferations, with no cytologic atypia, nuclear pleomorphism, or aberrant mitoses. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining disclosed focal, weak keratin positivity in two lesions, whereas vimentin (diffuse, strongly positive) and SMA (tram‐track pattern) were present in each instance, and ALK (D5F3) was entirely negative. FISH analysis confirmed USP6 gene rearrangements in all seven cases, showing no ALK gene rearrangements. RNA sequencing results showed an MYH9::USP6 gene fusion in only one lesion (No. 6). Conclusion: A subset of PSCN is marked by USP6 gene rearrangements, a genetic feature of nodular fasciitis (NF). Given its similarity to NF, a designation as USP6‐associated neoplasm (UAN) seems reasonable, signifying a transient clonal neoplastic lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adenomatoid tumors (ATs) are benign tumors originating from the mesothelium. ATs of the ovary are rare, and can easily be confused with malignancy due to the histomorphological diversity. Thus, it is difficult in histopathological and differential diagnosis, especially during intraoperative frozen pathological diagnosis, which directly affects the resection scope of surgery. Case presentation: In this study, we reported two patients (58 and 41 year old) with ovarian ATs. AT of patient 1 occurred in both ovaries at different time points and she had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. AT of patient 2 occurred in right ovary. Intraoperative frozen pathological diagnosis was performed in both cases and laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy was undergone on the lesion side according to benign freezing diagnostic result. Ovarian ATs, the final diagnoses of the 2 cases were concluded after histological, extensive immunohistochemical (IHC), histochemical, and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses. Conclusions: Our results show that ovarian ATs may not be related to BAP1 or CDKN2A/p16 mutations. In addition, the case 1 suggests that ATs may be associated with immune dysregulation. When encountering such similar lessions, we recommend that a series of immunohistochemical, histochemical and molecular biological techniques should be used for diagnosis and differential diagnosis to avoid misdiagnosis. Improving understanding of the rare ovarian ATs which mimic malignancy is necessary to prevent overresection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) followed by radical hysterectomy and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in stage IB2 and IIA2 squamous cervical cancer (SCC) and investigate the value of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in outcome evaluation of different treatment strategies in the patients. Methods: A total of 149 patients with IB2 and IIA2 SCC who underwent pretreatment MRI and DWI scan were included. Patients were treated with NAT + RH or CCRT. Clinical indices and pathological factors were recorded. The imaging indices were measured including tumor size and tumor ADC values. Intraclass correlation coefficient was employed to evaluate the consistency of the indices measured by two observers. ROC curves were used to evaluate the cutoff values of clinical and imaging indices. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazard model were used to analyze the independent factors of disease-free survival (DFS). Results: The median follow-up period was 42.3 months. SCC-Ag, ADCmax and ADCmin were independent factors for DFS in the entire cohort. SCC-Ag, ADCmin and vascular invasion were independent factors for DFS in NAT + RH group. ADCmax and ADCmin were independent factors for DFS in CCRT group. ADCmin was the strongest independent factor for DFS in NAT + RH group, while ADCmax was that in CCRT group. Conclusion: The NAT + RH patients had similar DFS to that of CCRT in IB2 and IIA2 SCC, which could be a potential feasible alternative treatment. ADCmin and ADCmax were more valuable in evaluating the outcome of patients who underwent NAT + RH or CCRT, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil aggregates and associated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks are important for soil organic matter (SOM) consequences and quality. The study is meant to understand the mechanisms of how fertilization management affects Cand Nstocks. Tobacco monocropping systems with four fertilizer treatments (0, 75, and 112kg Nha−1, and 60kg Nha−1 + manure) were established in 1998. After 19 years, crop monocrop and fertilization management redetermined soil aggregates and related indicators. The results showed the large aggregates proportion (LMP) and small macroaggregates proportion (SMP) varied inversely with changing season. The LMP gradually rose after the implementation of tillage while microaggregates gradually declined. By manure fertilizer, LMP and SMP were significantly higher than those in inorganic fertilizer treatments, while microaggregates proportion (MIP) and silt and clay proportion (SCP) were lower than in inorganic fertilizer treatments. Soil water-stable aggregate and their associated soil organic stocks are changed with growing season, and tillage practices would have potentially affected these indicators, while the proportion and soil organic stocks more quickly recovered in large aggregates by manure application. Therefore, the proper application of manure combined with chemical fertilizer would maintain soil quality in tobacco cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm (MiNEN) is a rare type of cervical tumor. Its clinicopathological features, lymph node (LN) metastatic patterns and outcomes are still unclear. Methods: We have analyzed the clinicopathological information of 26 patients with cervical MiNEN. Results: The median age of onset for cervical MiNEN was 48 years. Macroscopically, polyps and nodules were the main types. The neuroendocrine components included small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) (14/26 cases), large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) (10/26 cases), and typical carcinoid (2/26 cases). Non-neuroendocrine components included adenocarcinoma (AC) (12/26, including one case of AC in situ) and squamous cell carcinoma (SC) (10/26) and adeno-squamous cell carcinoma (ASC) (4/26). Of the 16 AC cases, 15 were human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated AC and one was HPV-independent AC. Except for the case of MiNEN with HPV-independent AC, all cases were diffusely and strongly positive for p16 protein. The lympho-vascular space invasion (LVSI) was seen in 17/26 cases, and the components that invade lymphatic vessels were mainly neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) (15/17), followed by SC (1/17) and AC (1/17). Ten patients developed LN metastases, including six in combined SCNECs (6/14) and four in combined LCNECs (4/10); the metastatic component was pure NEC in eight cases (8/10) and SC or AC in two cases (2/10). Conclusions: NEC component is the key factor that determines the clinical behavior and prognosis of cervical MiNEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how visual attention differed between students who hold scientific knowledge and those who have misconceptions. We analyzed visual fixations of 98 middle students on problems containing information relevant to scientific knowledge and common misconceptions. It showed that students who acquired scientific concepts paid more attention to appropriate information but took less consideration to irrelevant information. On the contrary, students who held misconceptions fixated more on misleading information but failed to select appropriate information. In addition, the senior students demonstrated more eye fixations on relevant information than their younger peers. These findings reflect that students' conceptual understanding affects the way they evaluate the problem information. Our results also suggest that formal science education improves students' ability to select relevant information and efficiently solve a problem. Studying the visual attention pattern during problem‐solving provides implications for the development of effective instructions to promote their ability to solve scientific problems. Selecting appropriate information and attending less to misleading information is essential to successfully solve scientific problems. We explored the visual attention of middle school students when solving scientific problems. It showed that students' conceptual understanding affects the way they evaluate the problem information. They prefer information consistent with their current knowledge rather than inconsistent information. It also revealed that formal science education improves students' ability to select relevant information and successfully solve a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: JAZF1 translocation is the most common genetic change in low‐grade (LG) endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS), and YWHAE and BCOR translocations are common in high‐grade (HG) ESS. Primary extrauterine ESS is rare, and there are limited data on molecular alterations in these tumours. Methods and results: Cases of primary extrauterine ESS, comprising eight LG‐ESS cases and five HG‐ESS cases were collected. Haematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining were used to observe the histomorphology and analyse related protein expression. JAZF1, YWHAE and BCOR rearrangements were explored with fluorescence in‐situ hybridisation (FISH). In LG‐ESS, the tumour cells resembled normal proliferative‐phase endometrial stromal cells; CD10, oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor were expressed in all eight cases. In HG‐ESS, the tumour cells had uniform HG round and/or spindle morphology, sometimes with an LG component; CD10 was fully expressed in one case and focally expressed in four cases; BCOR was expressed in all five cases, and cyclin D1 in four of five cases. FISH analysis showed JAZF1 translocation in one of eight LG‐ESS cases (12.5%). YWHAE translocation occurred in four of five HG‐ESS cases, with a positivity rate of 80%. BCOR translocation was absent in all five cases. Conclusions: In extrauterine LG‐ESS, the rate of JAZF1 rearrangement was significantly lower than in uterine LG‐ESS. This result limited the value of JAZF1 translocation for diagnosis. YWHAE rearrangement is a common genetic change in extrauterine HG‐ESS. Further studies are required to confirm these findings, especially in LG‐ESS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposed a humanoid balance assistance strategy (BAS) to enhance balance recovery in sagittal plane. Numerical construction of balanced state manifold (BSM) which accounts for active intervention of human ankles is developed to detect imbalance criticality (IC). A human-in-the-loop balance judgment criterion is established to appropriately trigger the external assistance intervention. A unified assistive torque controller based on minimization modulation of virtual potential energy (VPE) towards BSM is designed to augment posture regulation. Exploitation of BAS leads to the following contributions: 1) ICs in 6 typical imbalance situations are accurately detected, with identification error within 23.7%. 2) Traversal imbalanced region of center of mass (CoM) is reduced by 44.2% (with imbalanced position/velocity range (IPR/IVR) by 35.6%/34.3%). 3) Position offset (PO) and velocity impact (VI) at landing collision are reduced by 39.3% and 59.4%. 4) Elapsed time of balance recovery is reduced by 160–580 ms. Experimental verification demonstrates the significant augmentation for balance recovery by BAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the mental effort in problem-solving is important to the understanding of how the brain allocates cognitive resources to process information. The electroencephalogram is a promising physiological approach to assessing the online mental effort. In this study, we investigate the EEG indicators of mental effort while solving scientific problems. By manipulating the complexity of the scientific problem, the level of mental effort also changes. With the increase of mental effort, theta synchronization in the frontal region and lower alpha desynchronization in the parietal and occipital regions significantly increase. Also, upper alpha desynchronization demonstrates a widespread enhancement across the whole brain. According to the functional topography of brain activity in the theta and alpha frequency, our results suggest that the mental effort while solving scientific problems is related to working memory, visuospatial processing, semantic processing and magnitude manipulation. This study suggests the reliability of EEG to evaluate the mental effort in an educational context and provides valuable insights into improving the problem-solving abilities of students in educational practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Both practice and research of accessible design in China are still in the initial stage, while the regulations and standardization of accessibility is taking shape. Under the framework of engineering standards based on instrumental rationality, to present the core value of humanism and to define the limitations of universal design in the standards are the key issues worth discussing continuously. By comparing the standards of China and abroad, this paper attempts to clarify the approaches for compiling the Accessibility Design Standards for Shenzhen. At the same time, it provides materials for discussion by showing the difficulties and assumptions during the compilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D printing technology has the characteristics of digitalization, automation, rapid and efficiency, no mold, and material saving. It is a manufacturing technology with low energy consumption and low emission, and it is also the key technology for the upgrading of the manufacturing industry. 3 D printing technology has great potential in the construction industry, which can greatly shorten the construction cycle and improve the structural designability of buildings. It is a promising construction technology in some extreme environments as well. Therefore, 3D printing construction technology is not only favored by research workers but also strongly supported by governments. This review summarized the recent development of 3D printing construction technology based on cement-based materials. First, the history and application of 3D printing construction technology based on cement-based materials were introduced. Then the progress of 3D printing cement-based materials was introduced from three aspects of printability, mechanical properties, and durability. Finally, thoughts and suggestions about 3 D printing construction technology were proposed. In addition, its developing tendency was pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen fertilizer is essential for the yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco. Honghuadajinyuan (i.e. Hongda) is a special flue-cured tobacco variety in Yunnan, which differs in nitrogen application rates from other varieties. In 2016 and 2017, different nitrogen application rates were established in Yunnan to compare, with other varieties, Hongda's agronomic, economic, chemical indicators and soil residual nitrogen. As nitrogen fertilizer rate increased, the ratio of fresh weight to dry weight (RFD) and the proportions of inferior tobacco (PIT) initially decreased and then increased in contrast to the proportions of superior tobacco (PST) and average price. Total sugar and reducing sugar contents in flue-cured tobacco leaves decreased as nitrogen fertilizer rate increased, while total nitrogen, nicotine, and protein contents increased. The highest sensory evaluation scores were obtained with 45 and 60 kg N ha−1. Soil nitrate contents increased with increasing nitrogen fertilizer rate and significantly increased when nitrogen application rate exceeded 60 kg N ha−1. A quadratic model was suitable for Hongda's response to nitrogen fertilizer rate and 60 kg N ha−1 can meet the needs of the growth of this flue-cured tobacco variety. Abbreviations: Hongda: Honghuadajinyuan; RFD: ratio of fresh to dry weight; PIT: proportion of inferior tobacco; PMT: proportion of medium tobacco; PST: proportion of superior tobacco; SPAD: soil and plant analyzer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to explore the effect of flue-curing procedure on the diversity of microbial communities in tobaccos and the dynamic change of compositions of microbial communities in the flue-curing process. It expects to provide a theoretical basis for the application of microbes in tobacco leaves and a theoretical basis and idea for optimization of the flue-curing technologies. By investigating tobacco variety K326, the tests were carried out for comparing the conventional flue-curing procedure and dry-ball temperature set and wet-ball temperature degradation flue-curing procedure. Based on the culture-independent approach and high-throughput sequencing procedure, the relationship between the flue-curing procedure for tobaccos and microbial communities in tobaccos was revealed by measuring the dynamic change of microbial communities. The results indicated that:(1) Relative to surface wiping method, washing method was more suitable for the sampling of microbes on the surface of tobacco leaves; (2) Dry-ball temperature set and wet-ball temperature degradation flue-curing procedure was more favorable for maintaining the microbial diversity of tobaccos; (3) Relative to bacteria of the tobaccos, the succession rule of the fungal communities in tobaccos was relatively steady; (4)Compared with bacterial community diversity, the fungal community diversity presented an obvious negative correlation with temperature and humidity during the flue-curing process. (5) The function of bacterial communities in tobaccos matched with the material transformation law of tobaccos, having a direct correlation on the flue-curing process. In short, Dry-ball temperature set and wet-ball temperature degradation flue-curing procedure can more favorably maintain the microbial diversity of tobaccos; moreover, the function of the tobacco system involved in microbes in tobaccos was closely related to the material transformation law of tobaccos in the flue-curing process. It validated that the bacteria in tobaccos play an important role in the flue-curing process of tobaccos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the United States and the United Kingdom both set up cultural assistance programs to China in order to aid the fight against Japan in Asia and to shape the postwar world according to their interests. From 1942 to 1946, the United States sent 30 experts in science, technology, medicine, and public health to China. Among them was George Cressey, a geographer of international reputation deeply familiar with the cultural and physical geography of China, who travelled to China as a visiting professor of the Sino–U.S. Cultural Relations Program and a representative of the State Department. However, he was recalled earlier than expected, after only 7 months, because his remarks were thought to be damaging to Sino–U.S. relations. Examining his wartime visit to China within the context of Sino–U.S. relations, this paper uncovers Cressey's diplomatic mission. We illustrate how geography simultaneously became the object of Cressey's research, a tool for the promotion of Sino–U.S. cultural relations, and the theoretical basis for foreign policy proposals. Finally, through a comparison of Cressey's and Joseph Needham's experiences in wartime China, this paper illuminates their different understanding of Chinese culture (including China's society and concept of science and culture), which led to their different approaches to Chinese affairs. It also shows the tension between technical assistance and cultural export in diplomatic relations during wartime. This case demonstrates the expanding role of science and technology in diplomatic agendas and international relations as a new, distinctive feature of science and technology in the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salicylic acid (SA) can induce plants to actively enhance abiotic stress resistance. Spraying SA to prevent cold stress in flue-cured tobacco fields can provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the actual protection from cold stress in fields at high altitude in Yunnan. The experiment was performed in Jianchuan County Yunnan Province, China. Honghuadajinyuan, a flue-cured tobacco variety with cold resistance, was used as the research object. SA was tested at two concentrations (0.05 [SA-1] and 0.1 [SA-1] mol L–1) relative to an untreated control (Control) to compare the quality of fresh tobacco leaves, curing characteristics, enzyme activity of antioxidants, and quality of the first-cured tobacco leaves. The tissue structure thickness, SPAD, and plastid pigment content of fresh tobacco leaves were least in the control; there was no significant difference between SA-1 and SA-2. The change of moisture content during curing was SA-1 > SA-2 > Control, and the water loss rate was Control > SA-2 > SA-1, and both varied greatly at 38–48°C. In each curing stage, the carbon and nitrogen metabolites and polyphenols changed most rapidly at 38°C, and the sugar metabolites changed as follows: Control > SA-1 > SA-2. The activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase in fresh tobacco leaves were SA-1 > SA-2 > Control. Malondialdehyde content and the inactivation rate of antioxidant enzymes during curing was Control > SA-2 > SA-1. The economic character and sensory smoking quality of flue-cured tobacco leaves were SA-1 > SA-2 > Control. In high-altitude tobacco planting areas prone to cold stress in the field, early warning weather forecast and field spraying 0.05 mol L–1 SA are beneficial to protect and improve the quality of fresh tobacco leaves, curing characteristics, antioxidant system enzyme activities, and the quality of flue-cured tobacco leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementation with hydropower is an important solution to solve the problems of grid connection and consumption of photovoltaic generation. Considering the randomicity of photovoltaic output and runoff, hydropower station with good regulation capability is often used as a complementary power source of photovoltaic generation. However, there are only a small number of regulatory hydropower stations, which is difficult to meet complementary requirements of widely distributed photovoltaic power stations. The present study aimed to explore the feasibility of using a small cascade hydropower station group as the only complementary power source for photovoltaic generation. Based on electric energy production and output fluctuation, this study constructed a hydro-photovoltaic complementary operation model with dual-objectives of maximization of average capacity factor of the system and load rate of power generation. An algorithm coupling flower pollination algorithm with progressive optimality algorithm (coupling algorithm) was put forward to obtain solutions. The simulation results of the model showed that the fluctuation in joint operation mode is significantly lower than that in single operation mode, and the comprehensive target value on sunny day calculated by the coupling algorithm is 2.53% and 2.16% higher than the results of flower pollination algorithm and progressive optimality algorithm, respectively, verifying the reliability and rationality of the model and the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stochasticity of photovoltaic (PV) generation output makes it necessary to smooth the output using other flexible power sources to realize the scale development of PV power. Small cascade hydropower stations (SCHSs) are also widely distributed in space, like PV generation. Therefore, it is proposed to utilize the regulation capability of SCHSs to complement PV generation. Targeting the maximization of the utilization rate of outgoing lines (utilization rate for short) of the system, the minimization of the curtailment rate, and the maximization of the minimum output within a time frame, a model for exploring the capability of SCHSs for regulating PV generation was established and solved by a hierarchical optimization method. By taking two small hydropower stations (the Mupo and Yangjiawan stations) on the Fabian River with a total installed capacity of 105 MW and the surrounding PV power source in China's Sichuan Province as examples, it was found that SCHSs can regulate a certain level of PV generation through the combined operation of cascade reservoirs and reduce the fluctuations and stochasticity of the PV generation output. The results have far-reaching significance on the large-scale development of PV generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal transition dynamics of global neuronal networks of math‐gifted adolescents in handling long‐chain reasoning, this study explores momentary phase‐synchronized patterns, that is, electroencephalogram (EEG) synchrostates, of intracerebral sources sustained in successive 50 ms time windows during a reasoning task and non‐task idle process. Through agglomerative hierarchical clustering for functional connectivity graphs and nested iterative cosine similarity tests, this study identifies seven general and one reasoning‐specific prototypical functional connectivity patterns from all synchrostates. Markov modeling is performed for the time‐sequential synchrostates of each trial to characterize the interstate transitions. The analysis reveals that default mode network, central executive network (CEN), dorsal attention network, cingulo‐opercular network, left/right ventral frontoparietal network, and ventral visual network aperiodically recur over non‐task or reasoning process, exhibiting high predictability in interactively reachable transitions. Compared to non‐gifted subjects, math‐gifted adolescents show higher fractional occupancy and mean duration in CEN and reasoning‐triggered transient right frontotemporal network (rFTN) in the time course of the reasoning process. Statistical modeling of Markov chains reveals that there are more self‐loops in CEN and rFTN of the math‐gifted brain, suggesting robust state durability in temporally maintaining the topological structures. Besides, math‐gifted subjects show higher probabilities in switching from the other types of synchrostates to CEN and rFTN, which represents more adaptive reconfiguration of connectivity pattern in the large‐scale cortical network for focused task‐related information processing, which underlies superior executive functions in controlling goal‐directed persistence and high predictability of implementing imagination and creative thinking during long‐chain reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Tumor regression grade (TRG) is widely used in gastrointestinal carcinoma to evaluate pathological responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT), but whether it is an independent prognostic factor is still controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the value of TRG in locally advanced gastric adenocarcinoma patients who underwent NCT and curative resection. Methods. Pathological regression was reevaluated according to the Mandard TRG. Survival curves were obtained by the Kaplan–Meier method, and differences in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses for survival were based on the Cox proportional hazards method. Results. In total, 290 patients were identified in our electronic database. In univariable analysis, TRG was associated with OS (HR = 3.822 , P ≤ 0.001) and DFS (HR = 3.374 , P ≤ 0.001). However, in multivariable analysis, TRG was not an independent factor for OS (P = 0.231) or DFS (P = 0.191). In the stratified analysis, TRG retrieved prognostic significance in patients with the metastasis of lymph node (HR = 2.034 , P = 0.035 for OS; HR = 2.220 , P = 0.016 for DFS), while not in patients with negative lymph node (P = 0.296 for OS; P = 0.172 for DFS). Conclusions. TRG was not an independent predictor for survival, but the system regained its predicting significance in patients with lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms of a drought-tolerant cultivar (Xinxuan048, XX048) and a drought-sensitive cultivar (Kasetsart 50, KU50) at four growth phases under drought stress. Treatments were composed of three drought stress levels, viz., keeping the soil moisture content as 55–60%, 35–40%, and 15–20% of field capacity last for 15 days, respectively. Results showed that cassava growth and yield were substantially decreased with increasing drought stress. Oxidative damage enhanced with the increasing drought stress in both cassava cultivars. Compared with KU50 cultivar, XX048 showed stronger activation of the antioxidant defense system at different growth stages. This resistance to oxidative stress in XX048 was the result of increased accumulation of ascorbic acid (AsA) content and higher peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities under drought stress. Furthermore, RNA-Seq data revealed that six drought-induced differentially expressed genes associated with antioxidant defense were also observed. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the relative expression levels of these genes were higher in XX048 compared with KU50. Conclusively, the XX048 cultivar was more beneficial in terms of high yield and drought tolerance due to more AsA content and higher POD and CAT activities and genes expression at different growth stages under water stress compared with KU50 cultivar. These data could provide fundamental knowledge for improving the approaches of cassava cultivation and molecular breeding with drought-resistant features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant mechanism is crucial for resisting oxidative damage induced by drought stress in plants. Different antioxidant mechanisms may contribute to the tolerance of cassava to drought stress, but for a specific genotype, the response is still unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate antioxidant response and physiological changes of four cassava genotypes under water stress conditions, by keeping the soil moisture content as 80% (control), 50% (medium), 20% (severe) of field capacity for a week. Genotypes RS01 and SC124 were keeping higher relative water content (RWC) and relative chlorophyll content (SPAD value) and less affected by oxidative stress than SC205 and GR4 under drought stress. RS01 just showed slight membrane damage and oxidative stress even under severe drought conditions. A principal component analysis showed that cassava plant water status was closely related to the antioxidant mechanism. Antioxidant response in genotypes RS01 and SC124 under drought stress might attribute to the increased accumulation of ascorbate (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) content and higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, which explained by the up-regulation of Mn-SOD and CAT genes. However, Genotypes SC205 and GR4 mainly depended on the accumulation of total phenolics (TP) and increased glutathione reductase (GR) activity, which attribute to the up-regulation of the GR gene. Our findings could provide vital knowledge for refining the tactics of cultivation and molecular breeding with drought avoidance in cassava. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cassava is highly tolerant to stressful conditions, especially drought stress conditions; however, the mechanisms underlying this tolerance are poorly understood. The GRAS gene family is a large family of transcription factors that are involved in regulating the growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Currently, GRAS transcription factors have not been systematically studied in cassava, which is the sixth most important crop in the world. Results: Seventy-seven MeGRAS genes were identified from the cassava genome database. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the MeGRAS proteins could be divided into 14 subfamilies. The gene structure and motif compositions of the proteins were considerably conserved within the same subfamily. Duplication events, particularly segmental duplication, were identified as the main driving force for GRAS gene expansion in cassava. Global expression analysis revealed that MeGRAS genes exhibited similar or distinct expression profiles within different tissues among different varieties. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed the expression patterns of MeGRAS genes in response to abiotic stress (drought, salt, cold, and H2O2), and the results suggest that these genes may have multiple functions. Conclusion: This study is the first to provide comprehensive information on GRAS gene family members in cassava. The data will increase our understanding of both the molecular basis and the effects of GRAS genes. In addition, the results will contribute further to identifying the responses to various environmental conditions and provide insights into the potential functions of GRAS genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The leaf age for harvesting flue-cured tobacco leaves is closely related to the quality of tobacco leaves, so an appropriate leaf age for harvesting is important for improving yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco, however, at present, there are few studies on effects of leaf age on physiological and biochemical changes during flue-curing and there is no clear standard of proper leaf ages for harvesting in production. Results: In the Yunnan tobacco-growing area, an experiment was carried from 2016 to 2017 and different leaf ages were set. The results demonstrate that leaf age has a significant on tissue cell gap, leaf age and flue-curing stages exert significant effects on upper epidermis, palisade and spongy tissue, and leaf thickness of tobacco leaves. The thicknesses of upper and lower epidermis as well as palisade and spongy tissues at different ages show an approximately W-shaped change trend during flue-curing. With the advance of flue-curing stages, contents of starch, chlorophyll, carotenoid, and water in tobacco leaves at different leaf ages decrease, while polyphenol and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increase. The older the leaf, the faster the chlorophyll, carotenoid, and water contents reduce, while the faster the polyphenol and MDA content rise during flue-curing. The flue-cured tobacco leaves at 116 DAT (days after transplanting) show the highest contents of total nitrogen and nicotine, followed by 123 DAT and those at 130 DAT are the lowest; however, the contents of total sugar and reducing sugar demonstrate a contrary tendency, and the starch content at 116 DAT is much lower than those in the other two treatments. The proportion of superior tobacco, average price, yield, and output value of upper tobacco leaves at different leaf ages are the highest at 123 DAT. The highest sensory evaluation score is found at 123 DAT, while that at 130 DAT is significantly lower in comparison with the other two treatments. Conclusions: Tobacco leaves harvested at 123 DAT are mature and exhibit a low degree of membrane lipid peroxidation, moderate chemical compositions, and high economic value. 123 DAT improves availability of tobacco leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Event‐related potentials are used to test the hypothesis that an intuitive misconception persists in the mind even after the acquisition of scientific knowledge. We investigated the temporal dynamics of neural mechanisms in solving a scientific problem involving a common misconception. It showed that the increased P2 component was elicited by the stimulus congruent with the misconception. The increased N2 component was elicited by the stimulus incongruent with the misconception. Additionally, the enhanced late positive potential component was evoked by the stimulus involving the conflict between the misconception and scientific knowledge. These results suggest that an intuitive misconception might still survive after the acquisition of scientific knowledge. It could be invoked automatically to evaluate the plausibility of incoming information. Subsequently, scientific knowledge is explicitly retrieved to monitor the conflict and inhibit the misconception. This study might have values in revealing the neural correlates of knowledge representation and scientific reasoning in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydro-wind-solar hybrid power system of interest is in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River and is composed of the Gangtuo hydropower station, the Wanjiashan solar power station in Yanbian, and the Dechang wind farm. An analysis of the output characteristics of the three stations in the system is carried out. Based on a quantitative analysis of the output complementarity over a year (using a method of Pearson correlation) and a qualitative analysis of the output complementarity in a day, a mode of complementary operation is presented in this paper. On this basis, a real-time model is built using Visual BASIC and used to carry out complementary operational research. As a result, we ascertain the mode of reservoir operation required for a given total load on the power grid, wind power, and solar output. The research reveals the complementarity between the monthly and hourly energy outputs of pairs of the three kinds of energy sources. The complementarity between hydropower and wind power is found to be better than that between hydropower and solar power. Transmitting hydro, wind, and solar power together not only lowers the impact of negative factors but can also improve the efficiency of the energy delivery channels. This may help mitigate the impact on the environment and optimise the energy structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cadmium (Cd), an extremely noxious environmental pollutant is known to induce oxidative stress leading to neurodegenerative diseases. Nobiletin, a citrus flavonoid is reported to possess various pharmacological properties. This study investigates the effects of nobiletin over Cd-induced neuronal apoptosis in rodent experimental model.Methods: To separate group of male Sprague Dawley rats, Cd (2 mL/kg/day) was subcutaneously injected for one month which results in a dose level of 1 mg/kg Cd. Couple of days prior to Cd injection, the treatment group rats regularly received nobiletin (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg b.wt) orally through the study period.Results: Cd-induced ROS levels and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were inhibited by nobiletin and improved glutathione levels. Nobiletin reduced neuronal apoptosis induced by Cd and raised cleaved caspase-3 levels. Intriguingly, nobiletin blocked JNK and Erk1/2 phosphorylation and down-regulated the pathways. Raised expression of kinases - MKK and ASK1 were reduced by nobiletin.Discussion: The suppressed expression of phosphatases - PP2A and PP5 were up-regulated on nobiletin treatment. Nobiletin significantly blocked the activation of Akt/mTOR signaling. Enhanced phosphorylation of S6K1, Akt, and 4E-BP1 induced by Cd was significantly inhibited by nobiletin. The raised levels of raptor and rictor proteins were remarkably down-regulated on nobiletin treatment. Collectively, the observations of this study indicate protective effects of nobiletin against Cd-induced neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye gaze plays a fundamental role in social communication. The averted eye gaze during social interaction, as the most common form of silent treatment, conveys a signal of social exclusion. In the present study, we examined the time course of brain response to social exclusion by using a modified version of Eye-gaze paradigm. The event-related potentials (ERPs) data and the subjective rating data showed that the frontocentral P200 was positively correlated with negative mood of excluded events, whereas, the centroparietal late positive potential (LPP) was positively correlated with the perceived ostracism intensity. Both the P200 and LPP were more positive-going for excluded events than for included events. These findings suggest that brain responses sensitive to social exclusion can be divided into the early affective processing stage, linking to the early pre-cognitive warning system; and the late higher-order processes stage, demanding attentional resources for elaborate stimuli evaluation and categorization generally not under specific situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA-194 (miR-194), a typical p53 responsive miRNA, serves as a tumor suppressor similar as p53, and has been demonstrated to play an anti-proliferation role in various human cancers. In spite of the pivotal role of p53 during aging process, the knowledge of miR-194's contribution to cellular senescence is limited. We herein sought to explore the role of miR-194 in the replicative senescence and stress-induced senescence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Our results unraveled that, compared to young cells, miR-194 is highly expressed in senescent cells, and extra expression of miR-194 significantly triggers the replicative senescence of MEFs and H2O2-induced senescence of NIH/3T3 cells, while inhibition of miR-194 exhibited the opposite effect. We further unveiled that DNMT3A was a direct and authentic target of miR-194, which has been reported to be closely associated with cellular senescence. Taken together, our data suggest that miR-194 may significantly promote the development of cellular senescence in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, which potentially occurs through inhibiting the DNMT3A expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the value of conventional MRI and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) in diagnosing normal‐sized pelvic lymph nodes metastases in patients with cervical cancer. Methods: 102 patients with cervical cancer who underwent MRI and DWI scan were included. 137 lymph nodes were analyzed, including 44 metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) and 93 non‐metastatic lymph nodes (non‐MLNs). The morphology and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of lymph nodes were measured including short‐axis diameter (DS), long‐axis diameter (DL), ratio of short‐to‐long‐axis diameter (DR), fatty hilum, asymmetry, ADCmax, ADCmean and ADCmin. The Mann‐Whitney U‐test, independent sample t‐test and Chi‐square test were employed to compare the differences of all criteria between MLNs and non‐MLNs. Logistic regression and decision tree were used to develop the combined diagnostic model. ROC analyses were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance. Results: The DS and DR of MLNs were significantly higher than those of non‐MLNs (p < 0.05), the ADCmax, ADCmean and ADCmin of MLNs were significantly lower than those of non‐MLNs (p < 0.05). Presence of fatty hilum and asymmetric lymph nodes between MLNs and non‐MLNs were significantly different (p＜0.05). Combined measurement of ADCmin, DS and DR had the highest AUC 0.937 with 90.9% sensitivity and 87.1% specificity. The accuracy of decision tree was 88.3%. Conclusion: MRI with DWI had potential in diagnosing normal‐sized pelvic lymph nodes metastases in patients with cervical cancer. The combined evaluation of DS, DR and ADCmin of lymph nodes and decision tree of the combined measure showed better diagnostic performances than sole criteria. Advances in knowledge: The short‐axis diameter, ratio of short‐to‐long‐axis diameter and ADCmin of lymph nodes have moderate value in the diagnosis of the metastases of the normal‐sized lymph nodes for the patient with cervical cancer as the sole indices. The combined evaluation of DS, DR and ADCmin is much more valuable in the detection of metastatic lymph nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]